Ulster County and its surrounding communities have experienced an increase in the establishment of adult uses. Based upon recent studies evaluating the nature and extent of adverse secondary effects caused by adult uses in commercial and residential areas, the Village Board of the Village of Saugerties hereby finds that adult uses have negative secondary impacts such as increased crime rates, depreciation of property values and a deterioration of community character and quality of life. These studies include an April 1996 study by the City of Kingston, and a September 1994 study by the New York City Department of City Planning.

The Village Board of the Village of Saugerties also finds and declares that there are some uses, such as adult uses, which, due to their very nature, have serious objectionable characteristics. The objectionable characteristics of these uses are further heightened by their concentration in any one area, thereby having deleterious effects on other adjacent areas. Special regulation of these uses is necessary to insure that these adverse effects will not contribute to the blighting and the downgrading of the surrounding neighborhoods or land uses. This local law is being enacted to accomplish the primary purposes of preventing a concentration of these uses in any one area and restricting their accessibility to minors.

It is further declared that the location of adult use establishments near residential zoning districts, schools, places of religious worship, parks, playgrounds, playing fields or other areas where our youth may regularly assemble is of great concern to the Village of Saugerties, as is the general atmosphere encompassing the operation of such adult uses.

It is further recognized that the Village Police Department's resources would be strained to adequately address the potential increased demand for crime prevention.[1] The proliferation of such uses could dangerously affect the welfare of the entire community through the degradation of the communities' retail areas, as well as the potential decline in property values and overall quality of the neighborhood.

This local law is required to prevent such deleterious secondary effects. It is the purpose and intent of this ordinance to provide for the orderly regulation of adult uses in the Village of Saugerties by establishing certain minimum standards of the conduct of this type of business to protect the public order and general welfare of the residents of the Village of Saugerties.