Cheshire Bridge Zoning Change Would Exclude Non-Adult Businesses

Atlanta City Council member Alex Wan has revised his proposal to change the personality of Cheshire Bridge Road, a street lined with strip joints and sex shops.

In an email sent Wednesday, Wan said only adult businesses would be affected by a zoning change, the GA Voice reported. That means the auto body shops and car washes that don't conform to the zoning would not have to relocate.

Wan's proposal will be discussed at 6 p.m. Thursday when the Atlanta Zoning Review Board convenes in city hall.

In an effort to limit sex-oriented businesses, the city passed zoning legislation years ago that prevented new "non-conforming" businesses from opening on Cheshire Bridge, according to a January story in Buckhead Patch

The city allowed existing businesses to remain even if they didn't conform, but Wan wants to lift the grandfather clause.

Another change mentioned in the email: there would be a five-year transition period, instead of the two or four years suggested earlier.

The GA Voice article said, "The controversial legislation has led some LGBT people in the city to criticize Wan, who is the city's first openly gay city councilman, because many of the adult businesses along Cheshire Bridge Road, considered the city's red light district, cater to gay clientele as well as employ many LGBT people."

Before Wan revised his plan, the owner of Kong's Body Shop had fought the proposal with an online petitition. Sung Kong said having to move would kill his business.

"Kong’s, a small, second generation family-owned and operated business, sunk their entire lives in the family business," he wrote. "How are they supposed to recoup the 27 years of investment in 4 years?"