Wharton Co TX 12-24-03



	NAC Advisory Wharton County, Texas December 24, 2003

		\| Return to Current NAC Advisories \| Return to NAC Home Page \| \| Resource materials and additional information from NAC's Local Issues \|

******************************************************************** NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY ****************************************************************** http://www.naturistsociety.com/NAC/ ****************************************************************** DATE : December 24, 2003 SUBJECT: Wharton County Texas regulation averted TO : All naturists Dear Naturist , The Commissioners Court of Wharton County, Texas has agreed to postpone its consideration of a countywide regulation aimed at sexually oriented businesses. The proposed regulation was so broadly worded that it clearly would have affected naturists and establishments (like nudist parks or rented facilities) they might choose to use for naturist activities. The commissioners have instructed the county attorney to rework the regulation with the help of naturists to assure that it recognizes and respects the rights of naturists and does not unfairly or improperly label local nudist parks as sexually oriented businesses. BACKGROUND Wharton County is located southwest of Houston. Predominantly rural, it is located in the path of significant urban development. The county is adjacent to Fort Bend County, which recently became the second fastest growing county in the U.S. Anxious to avoid the uncontrolled proliferation of sexually oriented businesses in the county, Wharton County's commissioners requested the regulation. Two nudist parks, Natural Horisun, Inc. (NHI) and Acorn Acres, are located in Wharton County. The regulation, as initially proposed, would have defined both to be sexually oriented businesses. PUBLIC HEARING A poorly publicized hearing on the proposed regulation was held Monday, December 22, 2003 at the county offices. NHI owner and spokesperson Randall Attaway attended the hearing and addressed the commissioners. Reading from a position paper prepared specifically for the Wharton County situation by the Naturist Action Committee, Attaway asked the commissioners to "avoid a rush to judgment on this matter that may result in unfairness, hardship and costly litigation." Attaway also carried a copy of the 2000 NEF-Roper Poll, commissioned by the Naturist Education Foundation, as well as a position paper submitted by the Southwestern Sunbathing Association, a regional affiliate of the American Association for Nude Recreation. All the documents were entered into the official record of the hearing. A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY, BUT NOT YET COMPLETE Action on the regulation has been deferred, but it has not been abandoned. Significant work remains to assure that the final result protects the rights of naturists. WHAT'S NAC DOING? The Naturist Action Committee is meeting with the Wharton County Attorney over the next several days to arrive at an acceptable revision to the regulation. WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING? This is an Advisory. The Naturist Action Committee is not asking you to take any action at this time. Please continue to watch for NAC Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this and other important issues. MORE INFORMATION For more information, check the NAC web site: www.naturistsociety.com/NAC Click on ALERTS, ADVISORIES AND UPDATES and then select CURRENT to see this NAC Advisory. Included with it are links to LOCAL ISSUES, which has further discussion, a map and the text of the NAC position paper. HELP NAC CONTINUE TO HELP NATURISTS!** The Naturist Action Committee exists to advance and protect the rights of naturists throughout North America. NAC is a volunteer nonprofit organization that relies on the grass roots participation and financial support of those who understand that individuals working together can make a difference. Won't you take a moment to help NAC by sending a generous donation? You may send your donation to the address below, or you may call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard or Visa. NAC PO Box 132 Oshkosh, WI 54903 Thank you for choosing to make a difference! Naturally, Bob Morton Chairman & Executive Director Naturist Action Committee --------------------------------------------------------------- Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Executive Dir. Bob Morton - <ctnudists@aol.com> Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - <naturist@sunclad.com> --------------------------------------------------------------- \| Top \| \| Return to Current NAC Advisories \| Return to NAC Home Page \|