SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle's Department of Planning and Development says an inspector has notified Dream Girls at Rick's to stop playing provocative video images on its sign. The business was only permitted to put still images on the lighted street sign.
"It's just a matter of respect if you have a permit that says you’re not going to have moving video that's what you should do and that's the responsible thing to do," said Nathan Lowe, who contacted KIRO7 about the concerns.
A permit approved by the DPD for Dream Girls at Rick's back in June states, "Images shall not change more than seven times per minute. No flashing, no video display methods, and no off-premises advertising is permitted by city ordinance."
The sign flashed and showed moving images of women dancing at the strip club on 11332 Lake City Way Northeast.
Around 4 p.m.Monday, it appeared the business changed the sign to only show a sequence of still images instead of video.
"There are a lot of kids in this community and it's clearly you can't walk through here without really noticing that sign. So that's my primary concern are the kids," added Lowe.
DPD spokeswoman, Wendy Shark, said that an inspector will be sent out to the business on Monday afternoon.
"There are a lot of kids in this community and it's clearly you can't walk through here without really noticing that sign. So that's my primary concern are the kids," said Shark.
When we went to ask the business about the permit issue a manager asked us to leave and said, "No comment."
Back in July, we spoke to residents who were opposed to the city approving any permit for the 128-sqaure-foot sign.
"It's not the strip clubs that bother me. It's the signs. Like, why does everybody have to know, I mean everybody know what happens there. You don't need a sign. If somebody wants to go to the strip club, they're just going to go," said Charla Lemoine, who lives nearby.
DPD even if the business is found in violation of what the city permitted, Shark said the business likely won't be fined.
She said DPD will talk to the business about getting into compliance.
"It's something I wouldn't want to watch reel over and over and over again which happens as you're coming down Northgate and you come to Lake City Way. It's right in your view," said Lowe.
Want to talk about the news of the day? Watch free streaming video on the KIRO 7 mobile app and iPad app, and join us here on Facebook.
KIRO
