Florida Town Goes All 'Footloose': Bans Nightclubs, Dance Halls & Skating Rinks

Heaven forbid anyone have any fun in Weston, Fla.: In a preemptive effort to ward off trouble, a new ordinance specifically bans any nightclubs, dance halls or skating rinks from ever going into business in the city. Sounds like the town could use a little Ren McCormack action to shake things up a bit. You, know, get a little Footloose, as it were.

The Sun-Sentinel says the commission is taking action because of trouble they’ve seen going on in those kinds of businesses in neighboring towns. And as for why skating rinks are also included in the ban, the city manager says a rink could hide a nightclub business.

Mayor Eric Hersh says it’s not even an issue, because they’ve always aimed at keeping those kinds of businesses from opening in the town anyway.

“There aren’t those uses in Weston, there won’t be those uses in Weston, and we were never planning to allow those uses in Weston,” he said. “This is something that we thought would protect the city.”

Unlike the movie starring Kevin Bacon, dancing itself isn’t outlawed — there are still school dances and gatherings for teens at the YMCA and city parks. The town just doesn’t want crime and crowds or the drinking and drugs that may come along with those businesses.

No one was specifically worried or applying to the city to change its zoning code, however, says the mayor. The town leaders just figured it should happen.

“There were no applications on anyone’s desk when this passed,” he said. “We just thought this was the best thing for our city.”

Weston bans nightclubs, dance halls and skating rinks [Sun-Sentinel]

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