An adult business operating from trailers in a parking lot at Silver Star and Hiawassee roads in Orange County, Florida, was shut down by Code Enforcement due to a lack of permits. The owner stated the temporary setup was in use while a permanent store in a shopping plaza was being remodeled.

Orange County Enforcement Actions

Code Enforcement agents in Orange County, Florida, closed down a business selling pornography from trailers in a parking lot. The action followed an inspection prompted by an Eyewitness News report on Friday regarding the operation at Silver Star and Hiawassee roads. On Monday, Code Enforcement determined the business lacked the necessary permit to operate in a parking lot, leading to its closure.

This incident is not the first time adult-oriented businesses in Orange County have faced scrutiny or enforcement. In November 2002, Orange County deputy sheriffs arrested three women associated with the adult book and video section of Jerry’s General Store on east Colonial Drive. Roxie Hanna, 33, Diana Cooper, 55, and Eileen Hart, 75, were arrested on charges including racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, and distribution of obscene pornography. The conspiracy charges alone carried a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Their bails were initially set at $50,000. Bill Lutz, director of the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, stated the store’s owner and staff were charged with racketeering. A handwritten note on the store’s locked door on Wednesday read, “Your tax dollars hard at work. They arrested my family. Happy Holidays!” The store rented and sold a variety of videos, including G-rated films, musicals, and XXX-rated movies. None of the women had been convicted of crimes in Florida at the time of the arrests.

Orange County's Adult Business Landscape

Orange County, California, has its own concentration of adult businesses, referred to as the "T-Zone" by some. This area begins at Beach Boulevard just north of Katella, extends south for approximately four miles, and then branches west and east down Garden Grove Boulevard. The T-Zone spans parts of Stanton, Garden Grove, and Westminster, covering an area described as seven square miles. It includes bookstores, movie arcades, novelty shops, topless clubs, all-nude theaters, and lingerie bars. One establishment mentioned in the T-Zone is TJ's Theater at 10350 Beach Blvd., Stanton.

In July 2013, a planned adult-oriented store, Intimate Obsessions, faced opposition in San Clemente, California. The business, which had a store at 34183 Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point set to close by the end of July, sought to open a new location at 309 N. El Camino Real in San Clemente. Products sold by Intimate Obsessions include sexually themed board games, lotions, lubricants, lingerie, and devices such as the Lelo Soraya vibrating massage device. Susan Smith, owner of Backstreet Home Decor, a neighboring business, expressed opposition to the proposed store. Resident Tom Murphy, speaking on behalf of Backstreet Home Decor, cited San Clemente municipal code 5.12.050, Section, and stated his feeling that "that type of store is not suitable with the location." The opening of San Clemente’s second sexually oriented store in the downtown area by August depended on the city’s approval of a business license.

Key Facts

  • A business selling pornography from trailers in a parking lot at Silver Star and Hiawassee roads in Orange County, Florida, was shut down.
  • Code Enforcement closed the business due to the absence of a permit to operate in a parking lot.
  • In November 2002, Roxie Hanna, Diana Cooper, and Eileen Hart were arrested in Orange County, Florida, on charges including racketeering and distribution of obscene pornography related to Jerry’s General Store.
  • Orange County, California, has an area known as the "T-Zone," which contains adult-oriented businesses across Stanton, Garden Grove, and Westminster.
  • Intimate Obsessions, an adult-oriented store, faced opposition in San Clemente, California, in July 2013 regarding its plan to open a new location.