The ban was reportedly passed in an effort to maintain a "family atmosphere" and prevent any new strip clubs or adult businesses that display live nudity from opening up in the area.
The citywide ban will have an adverse effect on all local businesses that use nudity for commercial gain. According to the Birmingham News, violators of the new ban will be fined upwards of $500, or face six months in jail, depending on the infraction.
The city already has a ' public lewdness ordinance' that prevents non-commercial public displays of nudity, the Birmingham News reports.
Council members claimed that the push to enforce the commercial nudity ban was not related to any recent petitions from adult entertainment companies to set up shop in the city, but that in keeping with Alabaster's recent retail boom, council members wanted to have "something on the books" to prevent any commercial growth in the adult entertainment sector.
Council members were quoted as saying that the new ordinance will send a clear message to adult entertainment purveyors that they are not welcome in the conservative, Bible Belt city of Alabaster.
"It fits right in with the family atmosphere we've tried to maintain," a city resident was quoted by the Birmingham News as saying.
"This is specifically for businesses that wish to feature live adult entertainment," a council member stated. "They're not welcome in the city."
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