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Possibility of sex store expansions bothers neighbors in downtown Las Vegas

Posted at 6:26 PM, Aug 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-17 21:54:25-04

Some neighbors are not happy about a change to a law overseeing adult sex stores in downtown Las Vegas.

There are six of them, and for 25 years, they haven't been allowed to make any changes to the buildings they occupy.

In a unanimous Las Vegas City Council vote Wednesday, the existing ordinance was amended.

Councilman Bob Coffin says the rule change allows the businesses to apply to make a change, just like any other property owner would.

Only one store, Boulevard Books and Video, is known to have plans to build something new.

Opening the door for possible expansions has rubbed some neighbors the wrong way.

"We're all concerned about the gateway into our downtown and what Las Vegas Boulevard looks like abutting our neighborhoods," said Melissa Clary, the Huntridge Neighborhood Association president.

Coffin's of the opinion that since the stores aren't going anywhere, they might as well be allowed to improve the way they look.

"This is not expanding the sex industry," he said.

Coffin says the plans for the new Boulevard Books consist of a building exactly the same size and shape as what's there now, plus more parking and retail opportunities.

No one with the adult superstore returned our calls.

Clary says she wishes Coffin and the rest of the city council would give she and her neighbors more of a chance to be heard.

"We were effectively steamrolled over for this particular bill consideration," Clary said.

During their fight to stop the ordinance from being changed, some neighbors called on police for crime statistics at the Boulevard Books location.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been 50 calls for service there and two arrests have been made.