Opinion ID: 3050323
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Substantial interest unrelated to expression

Text: Fantasyland first contends that the County has no substantial governmental interest under Renton in preventing private sexual conduct within an enclosed booth. We disagree. [3] The conduct at issue is not private at all. It is occurring at a retail establishment. The “curtailing [of] public sexual criminal offenses” is a significant state interest. Ellwest, 681 F.2d at 1246. The County’s objective in reducing instances of prostitution and solicitation at businesses that operate peep show booths is valid. Furthermore, the County has a substantial interest in preventing certain private sexual acts occurring within peep show booths, notably the use of so-called “glory 13998 FANTASYLAND VIDEO v. COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO holes”—the placement of a peep show patron’s genitals through holes or gaps in the wall partition between the booths. Such activities constitute lewd conduct under California Penal Code § 647(a). See People v. Rylaarsdam, 181 Cal. Rptr. 723, 727-28 (App. Dep’t Super. Ct. 1982). [4] Moreover, there is no requirement under Renton that the asserted secondary effects be criminal. See, e.g., Ctr. for Fair Pub. Policy, 336 F.3d at 1166 (reducing late night noise and traffic). One may therefore accept Fantasyland’s proposition that masturbation in a fully-enclosed booth is legal in California and still find a substantial governmental interest in curtailing the activity. Rampant masturbation at a commercial property open to the public may rationally trigger sanitation concerns and impair the right of other patrons to view their materials or read the accompanying articles in peace. See Deluxe Theater & Bookstore, Inc. v. City of San Diego, 221 Cal. Rptr. 100, 102 (Ct. App. 1985) (finding that city had an interest in regulating peep show booths due to the potential for unlawful, offensive, and unsanitary behavior).