AN ORDINANCE
NO.
An ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the Columbus Code so as to regulate
escort services as permitted under O.C.G.A. Section 48-13-9; imposing
additional regulations such as an annual regulatory fee, permits and distance
restrictions; and for other purposes.
---------------
THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 14 of the Columbus Code is hereby amended by adding a new Article VII
to read as follows:
?Article VII. Escort Services.
Section 14-250.
Escort services permitted under O.C.G.A Section 48-13-9 shall pay an
annual regulatory fee of $5000.00 to the consolidated government of Columbus,
Georgia. All escort service businesses shall pay said annual regulatory fee
plus an occupation tax as provided by law.
Section 14-251.
Any person applying for an escort service business license shall apply
for the same in the Occupation Tax Section of the Revenue Division of the
consolidated government. Upon payment of the regulatory fee pursuant to Section
14-250 of this Code, all owners, licensees and employees of the business shall
submit to a background check and obtain an annual identification card from the
chief of police certifying compliance with this article. It shall be the
responsibility of the employer to see that the employees are carrying with them
an identification card at all times they are working. Said identification card
will expire each year on the birth date of the applicant and must be renewed at
such time, and said card must at all times be in the possession of such person
affected hereunder for him or her to be eligible to engage in such business.
In making decisions to grant or deny identification cards, the chief of police
shall only consider whether an applicant has strictly complied with this
article and its requirements. Said cards shall be either issued or denied
within thirty (30) days of application. If an applicant is dissatisfied with
the decision of the chief of police, the applicant may appeal to the Superior
Court of Muscogee County within thirty (30) days of the decision. If no
decision is rendered by the chief of police within thirty (30) days of filing a
completed application for an identification card, said card shall be deemed
approved.
Section 14-252.
No escort service business authorized under O.C.G.A. Section 48-13-9 shall be
located within 600 feet of the property line of any church, school, community
teen center, library, nursery school, day care center, playground, residential
zone, or condominiums and multiple-family dwellings and townhouses located in
A-O zones. No home occupation license shall be granted for an escort service
business. All applications for new escort service business licenses shall
include a certificate from a registered surveyor showing a scale drawing of the
location of the proposed business and the distance of the proposed business
from any prohibited locations described in this code section. Such survey shall
be coordinated and conducted by a registered surveyor contracted by the city,
and the nonrefundable cost of such survey shall be paid by the applicant to the
Columbus Consolidated Government when the application is submitted, in addition
to the regulatory fee.
Section 14-253.
No person shall own, manage, operate in any manner or be employed in
any capacity by an escort service business who has been convicted of or pled
guilty or nolo contendere to any federal or state felony within ten years of
applying for the permit from the chief of police necessary to do business or to
be employed, nor shall any such person who has been convicted of or pled guilty
or nolo contendere to any federal or state misdemeanor involving moral
turpitude or loitering for purposes
of prostitution or sodomy within five years of such application be issued such
a permit.
Section 14-254.
All escort service businesses are prohibited at all times from
employing minors as defined by O.C.G.A. Section 39-1-1. It shall be unlawful
for an escort service business to allow or for any employee thereof to engage
in private modeling sessions or other activities involving sexual conduct or
sexually explicit nudity as defined in O.C.G.A. Section 16-12-102 in which one
employee is placed in a one-on-one situation with one customer.
Section 14-255.
The chief of police is empowered to recommend the revocation of the
license of any escort service business in which the owner is convicted of or
pleads guilty or nolo contendere to any provisions of this article or any
federal or state felony or any federal or state misdemeanor involving moral
turpitude or loitering for purposes of prostitution or sodomy. The chief of
police is empowered to recommend the revocation of the license of any escort
service business in which a manager or any employee (or employees) is convicted
on two or more separate occasions within any 48-month period of or enters pleas
of guilty or nolo contendere to any such violation. The procedures for
revocation shall be the same as the procedure required by Columbus Code Section
3-11(b).?
SECTION 2.
All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance
are hereby repealed.
---------------
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on the
11th day of April, 2006 introduced a second time at a regular meeting of said
Council held on the ______ day of ________, 2006, and adopted at said meeting
by the affirmative vote of ________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting____________.
Councilor Anthony voting__________.
Councilor Davis voting____________.
Councilor Henderson voting________.
Councilor Hunter voting___________.
Councilor McDaniel voting_________.
Councilor Rodgers voting__________.
Councilor Suber voting____________.
Councilor Pugh voting_____________.
Councilor Woodson voting__________.
______________________________ ______________________________
TINY B. WASHINGTON ROBERT S. POYDASHEFF
CLERK MAYOR
Attachments
No attachments for this document.