UPDATE:
Wednesday night, members of the Columbia Zoning Board denied a request to let Club Good Times allow fully nude dancing.
The club is currently allows for partially nude dancing.
The decision was straight to the point and didn’t allow for any public comment. The board’s attorney sat at a table and read the decision, citing the Pennsylvania Constitution and previous Pennsylvania Supreme Court Cases.
In the end, the board voted to deny the request to allow full nude dancing at Club Good Times.
“I went by the law! They’re crooked!” exclaimed the representative of the club.
The representative from Club Good Times stormed out of the zoning meeting after the board denied the club’s application to allow fully nude dancers.
The vote application was denied unanimously by a four to zero vote.
Club Good Times said in their application that because of strict zoning laws in the borough, it would be impossible for any club to be allowed to have fully nude dancers.
“In this case, the applicants have alleged that the boroughs zoning ordinance is de-facto exclusionary,” stated the Borough’s lawyer.
De-facto exclusionary would mean that there is no area that can meet all of the regulations in place.
“If the zoning ordinance is de-facto exclusionary, under Pennsylvania law, the applicants are entitled to what is sometimes called definitive relief,” continued the lawyer.
Definitive relief is the authorization to use the property for the excluded use, which in this case is fully nude dancing, even if the property is not in the allowed area.
One of the biggest questions was whether a nearby park, Glatfelter Field, is considered a school zone, or a park. If it’s considered a school zone, the laws would be exclusionary, if it’s considered a park, the laws would not be exclusionary.
In the end, the zoning board found that the land is indeed a park, not a school zone, and there are other locations in the borough that would allow for dancers to be fully nude.
Those who live nearby are pleased that the application was denied.
“Big victory!” one person commented.
“I’m ecstatic about it,” believes Biddie Helton. “It’s fabulous, it’s really a great. It’s the best thing that ever happened for Columbia.”
And while fully nude dancing won’t be allowed, they say the club is still a problem.
“Residents can look out their windows and see these men coming out. women too, urinating in our back yard. They take our parking places,” commented Joan Robinson of the Saint Peter’s Tenant Association.
“We need to protect our young people and if we condone just any way of doing things, then the kids think it’s okay, and it’s not,” concluded Mary Lou Holland.
The representative for the club called her attorney right after leaving the meeting, so it’s clear that this battle is far from finished.
___________________________________________
At a meeting Wednesday night, a zoning board is decide whether Club Goodtimes, a gentlemen's club in Columbia, Lancaster County, will be allowed to have their dances be fully nude.
Members of the zoning board will be meeting around 7:00 to decide whether the club will have to keep their dancers partially nude, or whether they will be allowed to be fully nude.
The area where Club Goodtimes is located in Columbia borough is not zoned for full nudity, but the owner of the club has asked the zoning board for a waiver, which would permit the club to offer full nude shows.
A person we spoke to who grew up in the neighborhood didn’t want to be on camera, but said that she’s been in the club. “Has there been a negative effect on the neighborhood? No, there’s nothing really happening in there, it’s been Hartman’s to BYOB and now it’s Goodtimes.”
The business has been there for 50 years, but has changed ownership and names numerous times.
While some people in the neighborhood have no problem with the change, others, like Jessica Segrest, want the club gone completely. “These kids all the time around here and they constantly see just all these women and men going in here and at night they’re loud.”
The Mayor of Columbia says that over the past 10 years, the borough has come a long way in revitalizing it’s buildings and it’s image, and he believes this would be a setback. “First off, I don’t think there’s any community that wants this kind of business in their community. The neighbors feel it’s just not the kind of thing they want in their neighborhood, and we respect that."
A decision is expected at the meeting. Check back for updates.
Wednesday night, members of the Columbia Zoning Board denied a request to let Club Good Times allow fully nude dancing.
The club is currently allows for partially nude dancing.
The decision was straight to the point and didn’t allow for any public comment. The board’s attorney sat at a table and read the decision, citing the Pennsylvania Constitution and previous Pennsylvania Supreme Court Cases.
In the end, the board voted to deny the request to allow full nude dancing at Club Good Times.
“I went by the law! They’re crooked!” exclaimed the representative of the club.
The representative from Club Good Times stormed out of the zoning meeting after the board denied the club’s application to allow fully nude dancers.
The vote application was denied unanimously by a four to zero vote.
Club Good Times said in their application that because of strict zoning laws in the borough, it would be impossible for any club to be allowed to have fully nude dancers.
“In this case, the applicants have alleged that the boroughs zoning ordinance is de-facto exclusionary,” stated the Borough’s lawyer.
De-facto exclusionary would mean that there is no area that can meet all of the regulations in place.
“If the zoning ordinance is de-facto exclusionary, under Pennsylvania law, the applicants are entitled to what is sometimes called definitive relief,” continued the lawyer.
Definitive relief is the authorization to use the property for the excluded use, which in this case is fully nude dancing, even if the property is not in the allowed area.
One of the biggest questions was whether a nearby park, Glatfelter Field, is considered a school zone, or a park. If it’s considered a school zone, the laws would be exclusionary, if it’s considered a park, the laws would not be exclusionary.
In the end, the zoning board found that the land is indeed a park, not a school zone, and there are other locations in the borough that would allow for dancers to be fully nude.
Those who live nearby are pleased that the application was denied.
“Big victory!” one person commented.
“I’m ecstatic about it,” believes Biddie Helton. “It’s fabulous, it’s really a great. It’s the best thing that ever happened for Columbia.”
And while fully nude dancing won’t be allowed, they say the club is still a problem.
“Residents can look out their windows and see these men coming out. women too, urinating in our back yard. They take our parking places,” commented Joan Robinson of the Saint Peter’s Tenant Association.
“We need to protect our young people and if we condone just any way of doing things, then the kids think it’s okay, and it’s not,” concluded Mary Lou Holland.
The representative for the club called her attorney right after leaving the meeting, so it’s clear that this battle is far from finished.
___________________________________________
At a meeting Wednesday night, a zoning board is decide whether Club Goodtimes, a gentlemen's club in Columbia, Lancaster County, will be allowed to have their dances be fully nude.
Members of the zoning board will be meeting around 7:00 to decide whether the club will have to keep their dancers partially nude, or whether they will be allowed to be fully nude.
The area where Club Goodtimes is located in Columbia borough is not zoned for full nudity, but the owner of the club has asked the zoning board for a waiver, which would permit the club to offer full nude shows.
A person we spoke to who grew up in the neighborhood didn’t want to be on camera, but said that she’s been in the club. “Has there been a negative effect on the neighborhood? No, there’s nothing really happening in there, it’s been Hartman’s to BYOB and now it’s Goodtimes.”
The business has been there for 50 years, but has changed ownership and names numerous times.
While some people in the neighborhood have no problem with the change, others, like Jessica Segrest, want the club gone completely. “These kids all the time around here and they constantly see just all these women and men going in here and at night they’re loud.”
The Mayor of Columbia says that over the past 10 years, the borough has come a long way in revitalizing it’s buildings and it’s image, and he believes this would be a setback. “First off, I don’t think there’s any community that wants this kind of business in their community. The neighbors feel it’s just not the kind of thing they want in their neighborhood, and we respect that."
A decision is expected at the meeting. Check back for updates.