[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Wilkinsburg 12-10-1979 as Ord. No. 2150. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
KNOWLEDGE or KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH NUISANCE
Having knowledge of the contents and character of the patently offensive sexual conduct or other content which appears in the motion-picture film, publication or live theater production, or knowledge of the acts of lewdness, assignation or prostitution which occur in any place.
LEWD MATTER
Any matter which the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find, when considered as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; and which depicts or describes patently offensive representations or descriptions of ultimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated; or masturbation, excretory functions or exhibition of the genitals or genital area. Nothing herein contained is intended to include or proscribe any matter which, when considered as a whole, and in the context in which it is used, possesses serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.
LIVE THEATER PRODUCTION
Any dramatic, musical or comedic production performed in the presence of a live audience.
MASSAGE
Any method of treating the superficial soft parts of the human body, for remedial, hygienic or other purposes, consisting of rubbing, stroking, kneading or any similar treatment, accomplished by hand or by the use of any instrument.
MASSAGE PARLOR
Any building or structure or portion thereof, located within the municipality, which is open to members of the general public with or without the payment of a fee, at which massage services are offered.
MATTER
A motion-picture film, live theater production, publication or all three (3).
MODEL STUDIO
A. 
Any place where there is conducted the business of furnishing figure models who pose in the nude for the purpose of being observed or viewed by any person or of being sketched, painted, drawn, sculptured, photographed or otherwise similarly depicted for persons who pay a fee, or other consideration or compensation, or a gratuity, for the right or opportunity so to depict the figure model, or for admission to, or for permission to remain upon, or as a condition for remaining upon the place.
B. 
Any place where there is conducted the business of furnishing or providing or procuring, for a fee or other consideration or compensation or gratuity, figure models who pose in the nude to be observed or viewed by any person or to be sketched, painted, drawn, sculptured, photographed or otherwise similarly depicted.
C. 
Exception. The words "model studio" do not include:
(1) 
Any studio which is operated by any state college or junior college, public or private school or any governmental agency wherein the person, firm, association, partnership or corporation so operating has met the requirements established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the issuance or conferring of, and is in fact authorized thereunder to issue and confer, a diploma or honorary diploma; or
(2) 
Any place where there is conducted the business of furnishing, providing or procuring figure models solely for any studio described in Subsection (1) of this subsection.
MOTION-PICTURE FILM
Includes any film or plate negative; film or plate positive; film designed to be projected on a screen for exhibition; films, glass slides or transparencies, either in negative or positive form, designed for exhibition by projection on a screen; video tape; or any other medium used to electronically reproduce images on a screen.
MUNICIPALITY
The Borough of Wilkinsburg.
NUDE 
Includes the following:
A. 
Completely without clothing; or
B. 
With the human male or female genitals, pubic area or buttocks with less than a full opaque covering or the showing of the female breast a fully opaque covering of any portion thereof below the top of the nipple, or the covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation or other legal entity.
PLACE
Includes but is not limited to any building, structure or space, or any separate part or portion thereof, whether permanent or not, or the ground itself.
PUBLICATION
Includes any book, magazine, article, pamphlet, writing, printing, illustration, picture, sound recording or a motion-picture film which is displayed in an area open to the public, offered for sale or exhibited in a coin-operated machine.
SALE
A passing of title or right of possession from a seller to a buyer for valuable considerations, and shall include but is not limited to any lease or rental arrangement or other transaction wherein or whereby any valuable consideration is received for the use of or transfer of possession of lewd matter.
A. 
Any and every place in the municipality where lewd motion-picture films or live theater productions are publicly exhibited or possessed for the purpose of such exhibition; and any and every place in the municipality where a lewd motion-picture film or live theater production is publicly or repeatedly exhibited, or possessed for the purpose of such exhibitions, is a public nuisance.
B. 
Any and every lewd motion-picture film which is publicly exhibited or possessed for such purpose at a place which is a public nuisance under Subsection A above is a public nuisance per se.
C. 
From and after service on the place, or its manager or acting manager, or person then in charge of such place, of a true and correct copy of this chapter and a true and correct copy of the resolution and order of summary abatement provided for in § 103-7 hereof, all moneys paid thereafter as admission price to such exhibitions or productions are also declared to be a public nuisance as personal property used in conducting and maintaining a declared public nuisance.
A. 
Any and every place in the municipality where lewd publications constitute a part of the stock-in-trade is a public nuisance.
B. 
Any and every lewd publication possessed at a place which is a public nuisance under Subsection A above is a public nuisance per se.
C. 
From and after service on the place, or its manager or acting manager, or person then in charge of such place, of a true and correct copy of this chapter and a true and correct copy of the resolution and order of summary abatement provided for in § 103-7 hereof, all valuable consideration received for the sale of such lewd publications is also declared to be a public nuisance as personal property used in conducting and maintaining a declared public nuisance.
A. 
Every massage parlor or model studio which, as a regular course of business, is used for the purposes of lewdness, assignation or prostitution, and every such massage parlor or model studio in or upon which acts of lewdness, assignations or prostitution are held or occur, is a public nuisance which shall be enjoined, abated and prevented.
B. 
From and after service on the place, or its manager or acting manager, or person then in charge of such place, of a true and correct copy of this chapter and a true and correct copy of the resolution and order of summary abatement provided for in § 103-7 hereof, all moneys or other valuable consideration paid for services rendered to customers are also declared to be a public nuisance as personal property used in conducting and maintaining a declared public nuisance.
A. 
Upon and after receiving notice through service of a true and correct copy of this chapter and a true and correct copy of the resolution and order of summary abatement provided for in § 103-7 hereof, any and every person who shall own, legally or equitably, lease, maintain, manage, conduct or operate a place in the municipality which is declared to be a public nuisance as set forth and stated in § 103-2, 103-3 or 103-4 of this chapter, is deemed to be a person who has knowledge of such nuisance for the purpose of this chapter and is, thereafter, responsible for its maintenance and shall be liable therefor.
B. 
The places and matters declared to be public nuisances under § 103-2, 103-3 or 103-4 shall be abated as provided for herein.
The Council of the Borough of Wilkinsburg, or such other agency as may be designated by resolution of Council, shall investigate all complaints that activity constituting a public nuisance, as defined in § 103-2, 103-3 or 103-4 of this chapter, exists in the municipality and make recommendations as to the application of this chapter to such activity.
Upon the recommendation of the designated agency and/or upon the Council's specific finding that a public nuisance exists in the municipality, the Council, in applying the provisions of this chapter to such nuisance, shall provide for the following by resolution:
A. 
Declare the fact that such nuisance exists.
B. 
Set forth the description or legal description and street address of the place which constitutes the nuisance.
C. 
Set forth the evidentiary facts considered by the Council in arriving at its factual determination.
(1) 
In the case of a motion-picture film or live theater production, such shall include a recitation of the particular sexual conduct and acts which the Council finds are patently offensive, and the basis for the finding by the Council that such motion-picture film or live theater production is publicly exhibited or produced in the course of business, or that such motion-picture film or live theater production is publicly or repeatedly exhibited or produced, or held for such exhibition or production at the place declared to be a nuisance.
(2) 
In the case of a publication, such shall include a recitation of the particular publications or types of publications considered by the Council, and those which the Council finds to be patently offensive, and the basis for the finding by the Council that such publications are displayed, sold or held for sale at any place found by the Council to be a public nuisance, and the basis of the finding by the Council that such publications constitute a part of the stock-in-trade of such place of business or other place.
(3) 
In the case of a massage parlor or model studio, such shall include a recitation of the particular acts of lewdness, assignation or prostitution which have occurred, and the basis for the finding by the Council that such acts occur in the course of business.
D. 
Order all persons described in § 103-5A hereof to summarily abate such public nuisance within twenty-four (24) hours of service of such order on any such persons, by terminating the exhibition, sale or possession for sale of such lewd matter or by ceasing to use the place where the nuisance is declared to exist or by terminating the use of said place for the purposes of lewdness, assignation or prostitution, or causing the same to be terminated, and notifying the Council of compliance therewith by sworn affidavit as ordered by the action of the Council in such resolution.
E. 
Order the Municipal Solicitor to proceed to do all things necessary to abate such public nuisance through judicial proceedings and to conclude such proceedings as expeditiously as is permissible under the law, including requesting the Court to advance such proceedings on the calendar of the Court.
F. 
Inform and give notice to persons designated in § 103-5A that:
(1) 
The Council has determined that a public nuisance presently exists at such place and address, and that, under § 103-5A of said chapter, they are deemed to have knowledge thereof and are responsible therefor.
(2) 
In the event the order of the municipality is not complied with within twenty-four (24) hours, the Council has ordered the Municipal Solicitor, as provided for under § 103-9 hereof, to commence necessary legal proceedings naming such persons as defendants in a civil action to abate the public nuisance judicially under § 103-7 of this chapter, and that, under § 103-8A and B of this chapter, the costs of abatement of such civil abatement action filed, including investigative costs, court costs, attorney's fees and other expenses, are made a special assessment against the parcel of land upon which such nuisance is being maintained, and that, upon their determination in such court action, will, by separate legal procedure, be made a lien against such property and a personal obligation against any person deemed to be in violation of this chapter.
(3) 
All lewd motion-picture films or lewd publications being used in conducting and maintaining such public nuisance are contraband and the subject of forfeiture.
(4) 
From and after service on the place, or its manager or acting manager, or person then in charge of such a place, of a true and correct copy of this chapter and a true and correct copy of such resolution, any and all moneys paid as admission price to or for the exhibition or exhibitions of such lewd motion-picture films or production of such lewd live theater productions, and valuable consideration received for the sale of such lewd publications, and all moneys or other valuable consideration received for services rendered in such massage parlors or model studios, are a public nuisance as personal property used in conducting and maintaining such nuisance and, as such, are the subject of forfeiture.
G. 
Order that a true and correct copy of said resolution and a true and correct copy of this chapter be delivered forthwith in any manner normally used to effectuate personal service of process to all persons of record having any legal or equitable interest in the real property, and to the regular or acting manager or persons in charge of the place therein declared a public nuisance.
A. 
Upon judgment for the municipality in legal proceedings brought pursuant to this chapter, an accounting shall be made by such defendant or defendants of all moneys or valuable consideration received by them which have been declared to be a public nuisance under § 103-2C, 103-3C or 103-4B of this chapter. Such moneys or their equivalent and any valuable consideration received shall be forfeited to the general fund of the municipality or to the municipality as property of the municipality if any valuable consideration received is not money.
B. 
The cost of abatement shall include the following:
(1) 
Investigative costs.
(2) 
Court costs.
(3) 
Reasonable attorney's fees arising out of the preparation for and trial of the cause, and appeals therefrom, and other costs allowed on appeal.
(4) 
Printing costs of trial and appellate briefs, and all other papers filed in such proceeding.
C. 
Such cost of abatement is hereby made a special assessment against the parcel of land upon which such nuisance is maintained. Upon its determination in a civil action, such shall, by separate legal proceeding, be made a lien against such property and a personal obligation against any person, and shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary municipal taxes are collected, and shall be subject to the same penalties and the same procedure and sale in the case of delinquency as provided for ordinary municipal taxes. All laws applicable to the levy, collection and enforcement of municipal taxes shall be applicable to such special assessment.
Upon a specific finding by resolution of the Council that a public nuisance exists at a particular location, the Municipal Solicitor, with the approval of the Council, is authorized to take whatever action is appropriate to carry out this chapter.
Any person, firm or corporation who or which shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine not exceeding six hundred dollars ($600.) plus costs of prosecution and, in default of payment thereof, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment not exceeding thirty (30) days.
[1]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.