Members of the Town Council voted 4-3 against a proposed ordinance that would restrict adult businesses.
The proposed measure went before the council after some residents raised their concerns before it about the Gorham Glass Connection which sells tobacco, t-shirts and a variety of adult-themed products in the center of town alongside pizza parlors and other shops but with a sign barring anyone under 18, the Press Herald reported.
Although council members said they had never been to the shop or sampled its products, they admitted they were unsure whether they could regulate a business without infringing on its owner’s First Amendment rights.
Owner Gene Abbascia opened the store in July, said he doesn’t understand why anyone would be concerned with his store. He said he opened the shop to attract local college students. The University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus is nearby, on Route 114, and already has been a favorite for some students, he said.
The proposed measure would have established strict rules for the location of adult businesses, maintaining them specific distances from residential areas, schools, parks, churches and other public facilities. It also would have set a license fee and penalties.
Council Chairman Michael Phinney who supported the measure and said the town reserves the right to regulate local businesses.
