PAWTUCKET, R.I.—The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH), the first non-profit sexuality resource and information center on the East Coast, is set to go before the appeal board again at 6:30 p.m. Monday in an effort to obtain a special-use permit to open in Pawtucket, R.I.
Megan Andelloux, the director of the CSPH, is a board-certified sexologist and sexuality educator who wants to provide the adult community with a safe place to access information about sexuality issues.
The CSPH was not permitted to open as planned in September 2009 due to official furor over the lack of “educational business” zoning in the Grant Building in downtown Pawtucket. In December, the zoning board chose to uphold the zoning decision as being right and sound, stressing that they could not allow an educational business to set up shop in the Grant Building as the laws are currently written.
However, at the same board of appeals meeting where CSPH was denied license to operate, the zoning board unanimously approved a yoga studio to operate as “educational business” just next door. This yoga studio is located in the same type of mixed-use building as the Grant Building. Due to the statements of support made by members of the zoning board of appeals who approved a “variance” or exemption from existing laws for the yoga-based educational business, it is possible that the zoning board will finally give approval to CSPH to operate.
Conservative, liberal and libertarian news media in Rhode Island and around the country have been supportive of the existence of CSPH, agreeing that the location is an appropriate environment for the center. Neighbors of CSPH have signed petitions requesting that the center be allowed to open. Not one person spoke out against the proposed opening at the December zoning board meeting.
The Appeal Board meeting will take place in the Pawtucket City Hall on the third floor in the City Council Chambers. The meeting is open to interested members of the public.
