Newton, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed districts
- Mixed Use 1, Limited Manufacturing only
- Permit type
- City Council special permit
- School/religious buffer
- 500 feet
- Buffer from other adult use
- 1,000 feet
- Permitted hours
- 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- Permit term
- 2 years, renewable
Summary
Newton prohibits adult entertainment uses in every zoning district except by City Council special permit, and even then confines them to the Mixed Use 1 and Limited Manufacturing districts, with 500-foot buffers from schools and religious uses and 1,000-foot buffers from other adult businesses under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.10.1.
D. Design and Operating Criteria. Adult entertainment uses shall be prohibited in all zoning districts except as otherwise permitted in this ordinance and may be permitted only upon the grant of a special permit... 1. An adult entertainment use shall not be located within: a. 500 feet from the nearest religious use, school, public park intended for passive or active recreation, youth center, day care facility, family day care facility, center for child counseling, great pond, or navigable river; b. 1,000 feet from any nearest adult entertainment use as defined herein whether within or without the City’s boundaries... F. Adult Entertainment Uses Allowed Only by Special Permit. Adult entertainment uses shall be allowed only by special permit in the following districts: Mixed Use 1 and Limited Manufacturing.
Full Breakdown
c. 40A § 9A and c. 272 § 31, prohibited in all zoning districts except as otherwise permitted, and allowed only upon the grant of a special permit. F narrows the map further: the use is allowed only by special permit in the Mixed Use 1 and Limited Manufacturing districts, and Sec. E confirms it is never allowed as-of-right or as an incidental retail or service use anywhere else. Spacing standards in Sec. c. 138 § 12 to manufacture or sell alcoholic beverages. , a ban on serving or allowing alcohol on the premises, a requirement that all building openings be screened to prevent visual access from outside, and a bar on free-standing accessory signage. c. 119 § 63 or c. 272 § 28, or required to register under the state's Sex Offender Registration Law.
Violations & Fines
Adult entertainment special permits are reviewed and issued by the City Council under Sec. 7.3's special permit procedure; violations of the district, spacing, hours or operating standards are zoning violations enforced by the Commissioner of Inspectional Services under Sec. 7.9, carrying a fine of not more than $300 for each day the violation continues under Sec. 7.9.1.1, on top of any special-permit revocation the Council can pursue for noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can an adult entertainment business locate in Newton?
How far must an adult entertainment use stay from a school in Newton?
Can a Newton adult entertainment permit be revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newton
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