1996-09-23 Public Hearing and Regular Meeting

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e e Minutes Public Hearing and Regular Meeting La Porte City Council September 23, 1996, Page 3 Rev. Michael Bingham, pastor of Abundant Life Church, La Porte, Texas, spoke regarding the ordinance to be considered at tonight's meeting regulating sexual oriented businesses. Rev Bingham stated, "Eight months ago, when I became a minister in this community, the very first thing that struck me was this community has a very wholesome nature. It really impressed me. I was thinking this evening that over the years some great men and women have sat in the seats you wonderful folks occupy this evening. Those councilmen or councilwomen have left a legacy which is truly exceptional. La Porte is right on the edge of a very busy City in our County. Sexually oriented businesses are businesses which seem to be increasing in numbers and in nature. What concerns me among other things, being a Minister, I want to see little children feel safe in the community as they have over the past years here in La Porte. Many newspaper stories seem to revolve around these kinds of businesses. I am asking this Council to take a stand. I know there are certain legal ramifications with taking any stand, but I would just like to see you take a stand in strict opposition to any kind of sexually oriented businesses coming into our community where we have the ability to rule them out of our jurisdiction. I know that is somewhat going against the tide of the community. It seems like people just want to live and let live. I understand those people that want to use these kinds of facilities. There are a lot of these facilities within a short distance of La Porte. I am just asking you to keep La Porte as a community with a great heritage as it has been in the past. " Jarrell Burke, 1301 Bayshore Drive, La Porte, Texas, stated he has resided here for about 29 years and has lived in the Gulf Coast area for the past 40 years. Mr. Burke brought attention to the past history of Galveston relating to crime in that area. He stated, "Any time you bring a sexually oriented business into an area you are opening up dope, prostitution, and mafia types of situations. This is something I really do not want to see in La Porte. This is a good town which I believe has rights and morals. We have problems with dope and some crime, but there is no need in opening up the door to this." Mr. Burke related to other area cities. He stated, "Statistics will show you literally that if you open up the city to sexually oriented businesses you are opening it up to other undesirable potentials that will follow". Mr. Burke stated, "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, if there is any excellence we should think about these things" . Mr. Gerald Jerkins, 3318 Valley Brook, La Porte, Texas, spoke before Council stating, "You all are our voice of La Porte, and La Porte is whatever your direct it to be. I am asking you to consider this ordinance on the sexually oriented businesses carefully. Most of these businesses in Harris County are in non-residential communities, and we are a residential community. We have worked hard as a community to improve our downtown and have done a fine job. We have worked hard by building new schools, improving our older ones, and with our Awareness and Dare Programs which send messages out to our children. If we allow these businesses into our community are we putting our children and our women at any risk at all? We need to send out a message about our community, and I think we send out a good one now. Do we want to change that message? We want to send out the proper message for our community. I stand opposed to sexually oriented businesses, and I ask you to please not permit these businesses in La Porte at all" .