No boobs on show for quake city SOOBS

Christchurch City Council’s fixation with regulating brothels has produced another 30-page report and recommendations to councillors.

The report is the latest in a string of such reports about the need to regulate brothel signage.

Each report states that there has never been a complaint about signage and nor are staff aware of pending problems.

A handful of general complaints arise each year when neighbours start to notice comings and goings from an address.

The report says that out of the 12 known brothels in the city centre before the earthquakes none are operating and council staff has no idea where they have gone.

“The location of SOOBs [smaller owner-operated brothels] is unknown and it is likely that most continue to operate across the city,” the report by policy analyst Mel Renganathan says.

But the reports state that it may become a potential problem because most central-city brothel premises were destroyed and operators might try to set up in other places.

The council has only received one application for a brothel previously located on Lichfield St to relocate under provisions of the Canterbury Earthquake (Resource Management Act Permitted Activities) Order 2011.

“The costs of enforcing the bylaw are difficult to determine. Legal advice obtained during the review of the 2004 Bylaw indicated possible difficulties in obtaining evidence for offences, which could add to the cost of enforcement.

“However, as there were no signage-related offences under the 2004 bylaw in the seven years of its operation, it is unlikely the need to enforce controls on signage will be common.”

The council can only regulate signs that advertise commercial sexual services and that cause nuisance or serious offence, or are incompatible with the existing character or use of an area.

“The proposed bylaw requires formal consultation with the community including information be provided to the public and key stakeholders, including the statement of proposal and summary of information. 

"Public notices will be published in The Press and local newspapers. It is also proposed to hold public information sessions during the consultation period.”

The staff recommendation requires that:

# Signs be attached to the premises at which the commercial sexual services are provided.

# They clearly display the number of the premises to which the sign relates.

# They are not to be offensive, and do not display any pictorial image and do not exceed 0.3 square metres in surface area.

# They are not to be illuminated by any flashing light.

# That the council provides an exemption from the location provision for known existing operator-run brothels, that are not small owner-operated brothels, by listing them in schedule 2 of the bylaw.

Council staff have drawn maps to show where brothels are allowed to go in commercial areas.