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City of Topeka
Council Action Form
Council Chambers
214 SE 8th Street
Topeka, Kansas 66603
www.topeka.org |
| | | August 18, 2015 |
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| | | | | | | | | DATE: | August 18, 2015 | | | | CONTACT PERSON: | Councilmember Jeffrey Coen | DOCUMENT #: | | | SECOND PARTY/SUBJECT: | | PROJECT #: | | | CATEGORY/SUBCATEGORY | 013 Ordinances - Codified / 054 Criminal Code | | CIP PROJECT: | No | | | | ACTION OF COUNCIL: | | JOURNAL #: | | | | PAGE #: | |
| DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: |
AN ORDINANCE introduced by Councilmember Jeffrey Coen, concerning public nudity, and creating new City of Topeka Code Section 9.45.110.
(Approval would prohibit nudity on sidewalks, streets, alleys, public right of way, public parks and public trails.)
| | POLICY ISSUE: | | Approval would prohibit nudity on sidewalks, streets, alleys and other outdoor public areas. | | STAFF RECOMMENDATION: | | Staff makes no recommendation. | | BACKGROUND: | Public nudity was addressed last summer when reports of a naked man strolling on a sidewalk in the vicinity of an elementary school were made.
The Public Health and Safety Committee reviewed the ordinance and made no recommendation. The ordinance prohibited nudity in "public places" which was broadly defined to include "any location frequented by the public or where the public is likely to be present including business and commercial establishments." Members of the Council expressed concern regarding unintended consequences of such a broad definition.
As a result, the proposed ordinance has been narrowly drawn to address the problem at hand of naked people in parks and on nature trails. There are exceptions for breastfeeding mothers and children.
| | BUDGETARY IMPACT: | | There is no budgetary impact to the City. | | SOURCE OF FUNDING: | | Not applicable |
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