Chapter 24.492

ADULT-ORIENTED BUSINESS REGULATIONS[4 ]

Sections:

• 24.492.010 Intent and purpose. 24.492.020 Chapter description. 24.492.030 DeKnitions. 24.492.040 Industrial zones only. 24.492.050 Location and buNer requirements for adult businesses. 24.492.060 Reserved. 24.492.070 Reserved. 24.492.080 Reserved. 24.492.090 Reserved. 24.492.100 Reserved. 24.492.110 Time frame for review of business licenses. 24.492.120 Legal existing adult businesses. 24.492.130 Violations.

• 4 Cross reference(s): Business regulations, Title 6.

The San Buenaventura Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2026-005, passed February 17, 2026.

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It is the purpose and intent of this chapter of the San Buenaventura Municipal Code to regulate the location of adult businesses, which tend to have judicially recognized adverse secondary e]ects on the community, including, but not limited to, increases in crime in the vicinity of adult businesses; degradation of the city’s commercial and industrial base; increases in vacancies in residential areas in the vicinity of adult businesses; interference with residential property owners’ enjoyment of their properties when such properties are located in the vicinity of adult businesses as a result of increases in crime, litter, noise, and vandalism; and the deterioration of neighborhoods. Special regulation as to the location of these businesses is necessary to prevent these adverse secondary e]ects and the blighting or degradation of the neighborhoods in the vicinity of adult businesses while at the same time protecting the First Amendment rights of those individuals who desire to own, operate or patronize certain adult businesses. (Code 1971, § 15.692.010; Ord. No. 2017-011, § 2, 8-7-17)

This chapter establishes regulations governing the establishment and operation of adult-oriented businesses as deYned in this chapter. This chapter provides for the regulation of adult businesses by allowing the concentration of adult-oriented businesses only in certain areas of the city in order to, among other things, minimize deleterious e]ects on adjoining properties zoned for residential uses and other sensitive uses and otherwise further the purpose and intent set forth in Section 24.492.010. (Code 1971, § 15.692.020)

The words and phrases included in this chapter shall employ the deYnitions found in Chapter 6.900 et seq. entitled “Adult Business Licenses and Operating Regulations” unless it is clearly apparent from the context that another meaning is intended.

In addition to those deYnitions set forth in Section 6.900.015, the following deYnitions shall apply to this chapter:

“Day care center” means such a facility as deYned in Health and Safety Code Section 1596.76, and includes any child day care facility other than a family day care home and includes infant centers, preschools, extended day care facilities and school age child care facilities, which involves the supervision of more than 14 children under 18 years of age for a period less than 24 hours per day. “Day care center” does not include any adult day care facility.

“Park” means the land and easements owned or leased by the city of San Buenaventura which, by ordinance, resolution, regulation or agreement, are dedicated to or operated by the city for purposes of public recreation be it active or passive but does not include trails, bikeways or the like. The term shall include the buildings, parking lots, streets and sidewalks within the territorial boundaries establishing the park.

“Religious institution” means a stand-alone structure where people regularly attend to participate in or hold religious services and incidental religious education, but not including private schools as deYned in this section.

The San Buenaventura Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2026-005, passed February 17, 2026.

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Any storefront religious institution that does not occupy the majority of a multi-tenant facility is not included in this deYnition.

“Residentially zoned property” means any property within the city carrying a zoning classiYcation that allows residential use as of right or allows for residential use with a planned development permit when no other use permit is required.

“School” means any child or day care facility, or an institution of learning for minors, whether public or private, o]ering instruction in those courses of study required by the California Education Code and maintained pursuant to standards set by the State Board of Education. This deYnition includes nursery school, kindergarten, elementary school, middle or junior high school, senior high school, or any special institution of education for grades K through 12, but it does not include a vocational or professional institution of higher education, including a community or junior college, college, or university, nor does it include tutoring centers such as Kumon or Mathnasium. (Ord. No. 2017-011, § 2, 8-7-17)

Adult-oriented businesses may be established, subject to all other provisions of this chapter and this title, only in M-1 or M-2 zones. For purposes of this chapter, the “establishment” of any adult-oriented business shall include the locating and opening of such a business as a new business, the relocation of such business, the conversion of an existing business location to any adult-oriented business use, or the expansion or intensiYcation of an existing adult-oriented business use. (Code 1971, § 15.692.040)

• A. Adult businesses, as deYned in Chapter 6.900, shall be:

  1. Located exclusively in the M-1 or M-2 zones.

  2. Distanced 500 feet from any residentially zoned property. The distance between the adult business and the residentially zoned property shall be measured from the closest exterior wall of the adult business and the nearest property line included within the residential zone, along a straight line extended between the two points, without regard to intervening structures.

3. Distanced 500 feet from any park, day care center, religious institution or school. The distance between the adult business and the noted sensitive uses shall be measured from the closest exterior wall of the adult business and the nearest property line of the noted sensitive uses, along a straight line extended between the two points, without regard to intervening structures. The sensitive uses called out in subsections (A)(2) and (A)(3) of this section shall be referred to collectively as “the sensitive uses.”

4. Distanced 200 feet from another legally authorized adult business. The distance between the adult businesses shall be measured from property line of one adult business to the nearest property line of the

The San Buenaventura Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2026-005, passed February 17, 2026.

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other adult business, along a straight line extended between the two points, without regard to intervening structures.

B. The sites of all sensitive uses that exist as of the e]ective date of the ordinance codiYed in this chapter shall permanently remain as designated on the map and list of sites both of which are included as exhibits to the sta] report. Any subsequent establishment of a sensitive use shall not eliminate any potential adult business site(s) which meets the locational requirements of the ordinance as of its e]ective date.

C. Any person violating or causing the violation of any of these locational provisions regulating adult businesses shall be subject to the remedies of Section 24.492.130. (Code 1971, § 15.692.050; Ord. No. 2017-011, § 2, 8-7-17)

The San Buenaventura Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2026-005, passed February 17, 2026.

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Editor’s note(s): Section 5 of Ord. No. 2015-009, adopted September 14, 2015, repealed Section 24.492.060, supplemental application required, and derived from Section 15.692.060 of the 1971 Code.

Editor’s note(s): Section 5 of Ord. No. 2015-009, adopted September 14, 2015, repealed Section 24.492.070, which pertained to supplemental application requirements, and derived from Section 15.692.070 of the 1971 Code.

Editor’s note(s): Section 6 of Ord. No. 2017-011, adopted August 7, 2017, repealed Section 24.492.080, which pertained to adult-oriented business standards, and derived from Section 15.692.080 of the 1970 Code.

Editor’s note(s): Section 6 of Ord. No. 2017-011, adopted August 7, 2017, repealed Section 24.492.090, which pertained to the time frame for review and consideration of the supplemental application by the director, and derived from Section 15.292.090 of the 1970 Code.

Editor’s note(s): Section 5 of Ord. No. 2017-011, adopted August 7, 2017, repealed Section 24.292.100, which pertained to the time frame for review of building permits, and derived from Section 15.692.100 of the 1970 Code.

It is further the intention of the city council that, insofar as the proposed establishment of an adult-oriented business use requires a business tax certiYcate for operation, the determination by the collector whether a business tax certiYcate shall be issued for the adult-oriented business should be made in a timely manner in accordance with the rights of the applicant while remaining consistent with the provisions of this chapter, the zoning ordinance, and all other applicable provisions of law. Therefore, the collector shall issue any such business tax certiYcate no later than 21 days following the date on which the applicant demonstrates compliance with the licensing requirements set forth in Chapter 4.155 (Sections 4.155.110 et seq.). (Code 1971, § 15.692.110)

The San Buenaventura Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2026-005, passed February 17, 2026.

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A. Any adult business lawfully operating on June 23, 1994, that is in violation of this chapter is hereby declared a legal nonconforming adult business. A legal nonconforming adult business may be permitted to continue, but any such nonconforming business shall be subject to the nonconformity regulations set forth in Chapter 24.465.

B. An adult business shall not be rendered a nonconforming use based upon location of any of the sensitive uses as noted in Sections 24.492.050(A)(2) and (A)(3) after the acceptance of a completed adult business regulatory permit application. (Code 1971, § 15.692.120; Ord. No. 2017-011, § 3, 8-7-17)

A. Any owner, operator, manager, employee or independent contractor of an adult business violating or permitting, counseling or assisting the violation of any of these provisions regulating adult businesses shall be subject to any and all civil remedies, including license revocation. All remedies provided herein shall be cumulative and not exclusive. Any violation of these provisions shall constitute a separate violation for each and every day during which such violation is committed or continued.

B. In addition to the remedies set forth in subsection A of this section, any adult business that is operating in violation of these provisions regulating adult business is hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance and, as such, may be abated or enjoined from further operation. (Ord. No. 2017-011, § 4, 8-7-17)