HAMPTON - The City Council this month adopted ordinances regulating adult-oriented businesses, limiting such enterprises to the area of Hampton zoned for heavy industrial use.

Council members waived the final two readings of Ordinance No. 309, which describes procedures for how the businesses operate, and approved the final reading of Ordinance No. 310, which defines where they can be.

The heavy industrial district is in the southwest part of town near the airport, going west from Imperial Road.

The measures passed on 5-1 votes, with Councilman Pat Palmer the dissenter. Palmer has opposed the ordinances since they were put on the agenda in July.

"I didn't come down on the side of the smut. I came down on the side of free enterprise and freedom of speech," he said.

Palmer said the Hampton Chamber of Commerce remained neutral on the issue, but he spoke to downtown business owners who would rather let the free market decide if an adult-oriented business can survive in Hampton.

None of the owners, however, said they would want that type of business next door to their businesses.

Palmer also had problems with parts of Ordinance No. 309, noting for example the regulation says adult-oriented businesses cannot be multicolored, have flashing lights or show various stages of undress.

"That describes our movie theater in town," he said.

"I guess I was reading the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law," he added.

The ordinances regulate but are not limited to adult bookstores, adult motion picture theaters, adult entertainment and adult novelty shops.

City Manager Ron Dunt said the new rules will go into effect once the ordinances are published.

Contact Laura Andrews at laura.andrews@globegazette.com.