DUBUQUE, IA —During a special city council meeting last week, the city of Dubuque, IA unanimously put a seven month moratorium on any future adult entertainment businesses opening.Right now, all but five-percent of the city is zoned to keep adult entertainment establishments out, but that’s apparently not restrictive enough for the locals.

City Manager Mike Van Milligen said at the meeting, “The U.S. Supreme Court has said cities cannot ban adult entertainment uses. However, we can put restrictions on where they can be.”

An area behind a Wal-Mart is one of the few spots in the city where strip clubs are allowed. The city manager says the council worries this area could become an adult entertainment district.

Van Milligen said, “Now that [new strip club and the only strip club in the city] The Office is opening, the question is how close can another facility open near there? The current ordinance is 500 feet and we think that’s probably not restrictive enough.”

The city says it will not affect The Office’s plan to open late this month.

“As an ‘All America City,’ this isn’t the type of entertainment we envisioned for the city,” said Mayor Roy Buol at the meeting.

So for the next seven months, The Office will be the only strip club available in town.

The moratorium prohibits development of adult entertainment until June 1, 2008.