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A. The following standards of conduct must be adhered to by employees of any live adult entertainment establishment while in any area in which members of the public are allowed to be present:

1. No employee or entertainer shall be unclothed or in such less than opaque and complete attire, costume or clothing so as to expose to view any portion of the female breast below the top of the areola or any portion of the pubic region, anus, buttocks, vulva or genitals, except upon a stage at least 18 inches above the immediate floor level and removed at least eight feet from the nearest member of the public.

2. No employee or entertainer mingling with members of the public shall be unclothed or in less than opaque and complete attire, costume or clothing as described in subdivision 1 of this subsection, nor shall any male employee or entertainer at any time appear with his genitals in a discernibly turgid state, even if completely and opaquely covered, or wear or use any device or covering which simulates the same.

3. No employee or entertainer mingling with members of the public shall wear or use any device or covering exposed to view which simulates the breast below the top of the areola, vulva, genitals, anus, any portion of the pubic region, or buttocks.

4. No employee or entertainer shall caress, fondle or erotically touch any member of the public. No employee or entertainer shall encourage or permit any member of the public to caress, fondle or erotically touch any employee or entertainer.

5. No employee or entertainer shall perform actual or simulated acts of sexual conduct as defined in this chapter, or any act which constitutes a violation of Chapter 7.48A RCW, the Washington Moral Nuisances Statute, or Chapter 7.88 VMC.

6. No employee or entertainer mingling with members of the public shall conduct any dance, performance or exhibition in or about the non-stage area of the live adult entertainment establishment unless that dance, performance or exhibition is performed at a distance of no less than four feet from any member of the public.

7. No tip or gratuity offered to or accepted by an adult entertainer may be offered or accepted prior to any performance, dance or exhibition provided by the entertainer. No entertainer performing upon any stage area shall be permitted to accept any form of gratuity offered directly to the entertainer by any member of the public. Any gratuity offered to any entertainer performing upon any stage area must be placed into a receptacle provided for receipt of gratuities by the live adult entertainment establishment or provided through a manager on duty on the premises. Any gratuity or tip offered to any adult entertainer conducting any performance, dance or exhibition in or about the non-stage area of the live adult entertainment establishment shall be placed into the hand of the adult entertainer or into a receptacle provided by the adult entertainer, and not upon the person or into the clothing of the adult entertainer.

B. At any live adult entertainment establishment, the following are required:

1. Admission must be restricted to persons of the age of 18 years or more. It is unlawful for any owner, operator, manager or other person in charge of a live adult entertainment establishment to knowingly permit or allow any person under the minimum age specified to be in or upon such premises.

2. Neither the performance nor any photograph, drawing, sketch or other pictorial or graphic representation thereof displaying any portion of the breasts below the top of the areola or any portion of the pubic hair, buttocks, genitals, and/or anus may be visible outside of the live adult entertainment establishment.

No member of the public shall be permitted at any time to enter into any of the nonpublic portions of the live adult entertainment establishment, which shall include but are not limited to: the dressing rooms of the entertainers or other rooms provided for the benefit of employees, and the kitchen and storage areas; except that persons delivering goods and materials, food and beverages, or performing maintenance or repairs to the premises or equipment on the premises may be permitted into nonpublic areas to the extent required to perform their job duties.

C. The responsibilities of the manager of a live adult entertainment establishment shall include but are not limited to:

1. A licensed manager shall be on duty at a live adult entertainment establishment at all times adult entertainment is being provided or members of the public are present on the premises. The name and license of the manager shall be prominently posted during business hours. The manager shall be responsible for verifying that any person who provides adult entertainment within the premises possesses a current and valid entertainer’s license.

2. The licensed manager on duty shall not be an entertainer.

3. The manager or an assistant manager licensed under this chapter shall maintain visual observation of each member of the public at all times any entertainer is present in the public or performance areas of the live adult entertainment establishment. Where there is more than one performance area, or the performance area is of such size or configuration that one manager or assistant manger is unable to visually observe, at all times, each adult entertainer, each employee, and each member of the public, a manager or assistant manager licensed under this chapter shall be provided for each public or performance area or portion of a public or performance area visually separated from other portions of the live adult entertainment establishment.

4. The manager shall be responsible for and shall assure that the actions of members of the public, the adult entertainers and all other employees shall comply with all requirements of this chapter.

D. Premises - Specifications.

1. Performance Area. The performance area of the live adult entertainment establishment where adult entertainment as described in VMC 5.32.070 A.1. is provided shall be a stage or platform at least 18 inches in elevation above the level of the patron seating areas, and shall be separated by a distance of at least eight feet from all areas of the premises to which members of the public have access. A continuous railing affixed to the floor and measuring at least three feet in height and located at least eight feet from all points of the performance area shall separate the performance area and the patron seating areas. The stage and the entire interior portion of cubicles, rooms or stalls wherein adult entertainment is provided must be visible from the common areas of the premises and at least one manager’s station. Visibility shall not be blocked or obstructed by doors, curtains, drapes or any other obstruction whatsoever.

2. Lighting. Sufficient lighting shall be provided and equally distributed throughout the public areas of the premises so that all objects are plainly visible at all times. A minimum lighting level of 30 lux horizontal, measured at 30 inches from the floor and on 10-foot centers is hereby established for all areas of the live adult entertainment establishment where members of the public are admitted.

3. Signs. A sign at least two feet by two feet, with letters at least one inch high shall be conspicuously displayed in the public area(s) of the premises stating the following:

THIS LIVE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENT IS REGULATED BY THE CITY OF VANCOUVER. ENTERTAINERS ARE:

A. NOT PERMITTED TO ENGAGE IN ANY TYPE OF SEXUAL CONDUCT

B. NOT PERMITTED TO APPEAR SEMI-NUDE OR NUDE, EXCEPT ON STAGE

C. NOT PERMITTED TO ACCEPT TIPS OR GRATUITIES IN ADVANCE OF THEIR PERFORMANCE

D. NOT PERMITTED TO ACCEPT TIPS DIRECTLY FROM PATRONS WHILE PERFORMING UPON ANY STAGE AREA

4. Recordkeeping Requirements.

a. All papers, records, and things required to be kept pursuant to this chapter shall be open to inspection by the clerk during the hours when the licensed premises are open for business, upon two days’ written notice. The purpose of such inspections shall be to determine whether the papers, records, and things meet the requirements of this chapter.

b. Each live adult entertainment establishment shall maintain and retain for a period of two years the name, address, and age of each person employed or otherwise retained or allowed to perform on the premises as an adult entertainer, including independent contractors and their employees, as an entertainer. This information shall be open to inspection by the clerk during hours of operation of the business upon 24 hours’ notice to the licensee.

5. Inspections. In order to insure compliance with this chapter all areas of licensed live adult entertainment establishment which are open to members of the public shall be open to inspection by city agents and employees during the hours when the premises are open for business. The purpose of such inspections shall be to determine if the licensed premises are operated in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. It is hereby expressly declared that unannounced inspections are necessary to insure compliance with this chapter.

E. It is unlawful for any live adult entertainment establishment to be operated or otherwise open to the public between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

F. This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit:

1. Plays, operas, musicals, or other dramatic works that are not obscene;

2. Classes, seminars and lectures which are held for serious scientific or educational purposes and which are not obscene; or

3. Exhibitions, performances, expressions or dances that are not obscene.

These exemptions shall not apply to the sexual conduct defined in VMC 5.32.010(M), or the sexual conduct described in RCW 7.48A.010 (2)(b)(ii) and (iii).

G. Whether or not activity is obscene shall be judged by consideration of the following factors:

1. Whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the activity taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex; and

2. Whether the activity depicts or describes in a patently offensive way, as measured against community standards, sexual conduct as described in RCW 7.48A.010 (2)(b); and

3. Whether the activity taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. (Ord. M-3382, 1998)