Public To Vote On Adult Theater

Calling an adult movie theater ``a wart on the (city's) nose,'' the Des Moines City Council voted unanimously last night to allow the public to vote on whether the theater should stay.

The Des Moines Theater, on Marine View Drive Southwest, has shown adult movies for 17 years but would be forced to move if the council's proposed ordinance is approved by voters at a yet undetermined date.

Marine View Drive's zoning was changed several years ago to exclude adult entertainment. The city is permitted to close businesses that do not conform to the specified uses within that zone, said City Attorney Jim Gorham.

In a presentation at last night's meeting, Gorham told the council that nearly 2 million square feet of land existed on Pacific Highway South for the ``appropriate'' relocation of the theater.

``The Supreme Court has forbidden us from banning this,'' he said. ``But it has allowed us to set aside an area for it.''

Adult entertainment is permitted along Pacific Highway South in a commercial zone.

Gorham and Councilman Richard Kennedy reiterated their view that the public's choice whether to relocate the theater should ideally be a business decision, not a moral judgment.

Both said studies showed the theater deterred shoppers from nearing the block.

``It's not so much a pornography issue as it is an economic issue,'' Kennedy said. ``Regardless of whether their perceptions are right or not, if people perceive it to be a dangerous area, they won't go there. Why spend more than $6 million to improve the downtown business when one business alone can negate all that?''

In support of his argument, Gorham said the theater served a more ``regional'' sector than a ``community'' one and that therefore the highway location would better serve its patrons.

The theater's owner could not be reached for comment yesterday.