core sex. Just six co-eds running around in their underwear -and changing it occasionally, bending over at just the right moment and at just the right angle for the multitude of cameras placed strategically around their shared Tampa, Florida residence.
Just the usual youthful hijinks? Maybe, but more than enough to raise the ire of the local city zoning board, which ruled on July 13 that the site violates a city regulation prohibiting adult entertainment businesses in residential neighborhoods.
According to Mark R. Dolan, a Florida-based attorney who represents the interests of IEG and their partner in this venture, Entertainment Network Inc., Voyeurdorm is willing to fight this ruling all the way to the United States Supreme Court. "This case has implications far beyond adult use," said Dolan. "What, for instance, is the proper role of government regulating E-commerce from one's home?"
Dolan was to file a notice of appeal with the Tampa City Council on July 19, asking that they overturn the ruling of the Variance Review Board. If that didn't work, Dolan said he would file an appeal with the circuit court, where he says he will attack the interpretation of the ordinance.
"The code predates the advent of the Internet," he said. "We need to go back to traditional zoning concerns. Do you upset your neighbors?" In this situation, he said, the neighbors had no clue what was going on, which contradicts a Reuters story that said that the Variance Board was forced to rule after neighbors complained. Not so, says Dolan. In fact, he said that at the hearing on July 13 a few neighbors showed up, but none complained. According to him, the local police saw a story about the Website on the TV show Hard Copy and began a "fishing expedition." Dolan claims they contacted the ISP for the site and issued subpoenas to find the address of the house and who was running it. Dolan says the ISP contacted the site's owners to let them know; Dolan then tried "to nip the problem in the bud" by requesting a zoning interpretation from the VRB. Which is what started the legal ball rolling.
We'll keep you updated as more develops.
