Pawtucket-area readers: Sex education in RI needs your help
You may recall that Megan Andelloux's Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health was denied its opening at the Grant building in Pawtucket, RI, because according to the city council's zoning board the building was not zoned for educational purposes. Rebecca Chalker wrote about it here:
http://sexinthepublicsquare.org/node/890
Megan is appealing that decision and needs your help.
If you live nearby and can attend the hearing please show your support for nonprofit sex education for adults. The details:
Time: 630 pmDate: 11/30Where:City Hall, 137 Roosevelt, Pawtucket, RIRoom: 3rd floorCity Council Chamber If you don't live in or near Pawtucket, you can still help! Please tweet, Facebook, or cross post this call where people local to the situation might see it. Megan says: "What I'm looking for. People to possibly testify, especially if they live near The Grant Building. There is a chance that people who live/work outside the 200 ft catchment area will be able to testify, but it's not a guarantee. Even if they can't, having people who bring small signs or talk to the press about why they support The CSPH would be extremely helpful."And here is the text of a flyer you can circulate if you want to help: Attention: Your community is being denied access to medically accurate sex information.Let your voice be heard on this issue,
We think adults should be able to access medically accurate sex information. The City of Pawtucket is blocking the opening of a safe, educational environment for adults to learn about themselves, their bodies, and their relationships. Megan Andelloux is a nationally recognized specialist in the area of human sexuality, and not the scary person others want you to think she is. Tell the City your opinion on this issue!
A link to the actual zoning table...
Greetings,
I have a link to the actual zoning table for the area. Megan's center is located in the CD (Commercial Downtown) district. City hall is basically saying that she has to have the same features that a school would have, even though the nature of her business fits much more into the following 'allowed' uses:
(link: http://www.ecode360.com/documents/PA1467/PA1467-410a%20Table%20of%20Use%... )
'Individual Instruction'
'Schools not otherwise Defined'
'Community Center'
'Nonprofit recreational Facility'
'Service Business of less than 2,500 square feet'
'Physical Fitness Facility'
'Ambulatory Health Care Services'
'Other Office Uses'
All of these uses should -default- to yes, unless there is a problem. City hall is being -really- backwards here.
Nonprofit recreational facility
I am SO tempted to suggest that Megan reframe her business as a nonprofit recreational facility. But I know how that would play :(
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
her best description is education
She's fighting the fight. Walking the talk can be painful and in this case expensive. :-(
Defining what we do
Defining what we do is so hard when we do so many things. I'm thinking about Megan's center and realizing that her work sounds like it will involve so many of the things on that list: individual instruction, community center also seem like appropriate ways to categorize what CSPH could be if it were allowed to open.
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
zoning enforcement capricious
Obviously there is a lot of pressure against the center from active non-community members local businesses that would support the center would go a long way to helping. Unfortunatly there is a lot of incentive to stay off the zoning board's radar. they can be a pain for any business.
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