Strip club bylaw needs to be more stringent

SASKATOON – Striptease performances are in Saskatchewan’s future as part of the provincial government’s spring announcement to “peel back” strict liquor laws.

Municipalities can control where these performances occur through zoning bylaws and the City of Saskatoon says there needs to be some stringent boundaries.

One-hundred-and-sixty metres from parks, schools and recreation facilities are the parameters suggested by city administration for the location of adult entertainment venues but city council and the public want the restrictions to go a step further.

“Not having these kinds of establishments in residential communities or backing residential places,” is a suggestion made by Jennifer Simon, the president of the Sutherland Forest Grove Community Association.

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Sutherland has an active nightclub district and Simon feels this provision was missed in the report presented to city council Monday evening.

Councillor Randy Donauer spotted another restriction that was overlooked.

“I know there’s concern expressed about residential, I also want to express concern about child care facilities as well,” said Donauer.

With that, council voted to have city administration work on a new proposal that further limits where approved adult entertainment venues could be located in the city.

One councillor wanted to prohibit striptease performances all together.

“Why not? Simply because the provincial government has decided strip clubs are a good thing in neighbourhoods, doesn’t mean we have to decide that” said Councillor Pat Lorje.

But that’s a decision left to provincial politicians and now the city’s administration is tasked with finding a way to implement the changes in Saskatoon.

“The liquor regulations are changing, that’s what brought this all about from the province so as long as these establishments are legal, they’ve just said to the municipalities, create your own standards and regulate them as you see fit” said Alan Wallace, manager of Planning and Development with the City of Saskatoon.

Administration will prepare a second draft of the zoning bylaw for city council to reconsider at its next meeting on Oct. 7.

Provincially, striptease will be allowed in Saskatchewan on Jan. 1, 2014.