Austin City Code Chapter 4-13 licenses sexually oriented businesses, requiring annual permits, distance buffers from schools, churches, parks, and residential zones, no-touch performer rules, and operator background checks; violations are class C misdemeanors enforced by APD vice.
Austin Code Chapter 4-13 regulates SOBs including adult cabarets, theaters, bookstores, modeling studios, and arcades. Operators, managers, and entertainers must each hold a license issued by the Austin Police Department. The ordinance imposes 1,000-foot distance separations from schools, day cares, churches, parks, residences, and other SOBs. A no-touch rule prohibits physical contact between semi-nude entertainers and patrons, and a six-foot buffer applies in cabarets. Licenses are denied for specified prior convictions within stated lookback periods. Operating hours are restricted, and configurations must allow line-of-sight for managers. Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 102 layers a $5 per-customer state fee on SOB admissions. Austin's permit fees and inspections are administered by APD.
Operating without a permit, allowing prohibited contact, violating distance rules, or admitting minors are class C misdemeanors with fines up to $500 per occurrence and license revocation. Repeat offenses trigger civil injunctions and permanent bans against operators.
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