Stopping the Sex Trend in Old Town

Town votes on business regulation within the city limits tonight

By Sarah Cough

November 4, 2009

Strolling through Old Town Alexandria, the streets are lined with small boutiques, antiques shops and restaurants that uphold the charm of the historic city, but the recent addition of two sex shops on King Street has prompted a proposed zoning law that may force one of the shops, Lotus Blooms, to close. The city zoning and planning commission will vote on the proposed amendment tonight.

Barbara Ross, deputy director of planning and zoning for the City of Alexandria, says that this legislation is “a balance between no regulations at all and limiting to some extent where sexually oriented businesses can go.”

Trey Hanbury, president of The Upper King Street Neighborhood Association, says “the city has tried to come up with something that would prevent the establishment of a red light district, but you’ve got to strike a balance. I hope they will do that tonight.”

The amendment states that Le Tache has been there for more than one year, opening January 2008, but that Lotus Blooms has not been there as long, and would not fall under the grandfather clause. The amendment states Lotus Blooms “would be required to close after 18 months, a reasonable period within which to recoup its limited investment in the retail space.”

Lotus Blooms, located at 1017 King St., is owned by Ann Ile and Analena Graham, two nurses who previously owned a similar shop called Dascha in Georgetown. Graham says that they completed all their paperwork to start their business in Old Town and didn’t have any trouble getting started. She says they were not notified that a zoning regulation was pending that would force them to close their business until very recently.

Ross says that she delivered the amendment to the store herself a few weeks ago and that it was not on the books until then. She also says that it is just the beginning of process and there is plenty of room to change it.

Hanbury says that many citizens he has communicated with are opposed to this amendment because though “no one really wants more adult stores, there is a lot of frustration with the retroactive law.” He says that it would be very bad for the business owners and that this store is not as controversial as Le Tache. “This one is more tasteful,” he says. “It looks more like a Victoria’s Secret.”

Ross agrees that there has been much reaction against closing Lotus Blooms and that the committee has been presented with some alternate options of dealing with the store. She says that it is possible to change the amendment.

Hanbury says that the amendment was drafted in response to the first adult store, Le Tache, which was opened as a result of a dispute between the building’s owner and the city, which didn’t allow him to modify his building. Hanbury says the neighbors were very upset when a lewd shop opened up between two art galleries and as a result they began drafting zoning legislation to keep other shops from opening. He says that the amendment was not originally directed specifically at Lotus Blooms, but that it happened to open while it was in process.

Ross agrees that the amendment was probably a reaction to Le Tache but says the amendment was carefully researched and thought out. “It is much less restrictive than other cities,” Graham says, adding that she is upset by the amendment, specifically because it mentions her store: “Why did they give me a permit if this was on the docket?”

“We have a comfortable place,” Graham continues, explaining that her store tries to target a different clientele than Le Tache. She says she wants people to come in and learn, “we have a nurse and an educator on staff.”

“I don’t want to ruffle any feathers,” she says. “Speaking as a businesswoman, I think everyone should be able to have a business.” She says that she has not received any complaints about her shop, only support from customers and other business owners.

The amendment is on the docket for tonight’s 7:30 planning and zoning committee meeting at City Hall, 301 King St., where Graham will speak out against it and other citizens will also have the opportunity to speak.

Ross says that she is not sure whether it will be passed tonight and that there is always the possibility that it will be deferred so that more research may be done.

“I think there is a pretty good possibility that it will be changed,” Hanbury says.

Tags: Alexandria, Northern Virginia Magazine, sex, zoning restrictions