PARK HILLS — Mayor Michael Hellmann says that sexually-oriented businesses have no place in or near this residential Kenton County community of 2,977.

        To make that point, the Park Hills native authorized city staff to mail fliers to the city's 1,500 households Wednesday, asking residents to “help us keep Park Hills pornography free.”

        The flier, which had been distributed on a more limited basis earlier in the week, asks residents to attend the Aug. 1 meeting of the Kenton County & Municipal Planning and Zoning Commission to express concerns about a proposed zone change.

        The 36-year-old mayor and father of two said he is enlisting the support of everyone from the nuns at Notre Dame Academy to Park Hills civic and business groups in his bid to say no to porn.

        Mr. Hellmann said he and City Council members are asking residents and civic leaders to protest Covington's attempt to rezone a 37-acre site at the end of Mount Allen Road to allow sexually-oriented businesses.

        The mayor said the acreage in question borders Park Hills and is within sight of numerous homes, Park Hills Elementary School and several businesses.

        “This goes against everything our city is about,” Mr. Hellmann said. “We're trying to create a family-oriented area, not an adult-oriented district.”

        Dave Fangman, president of the Park Hills Business Association, said the area proposed for rezoning is next door to his plumbing business and across the street from about five other Park Hills businesses.

        “If an adult business goes in, it's going to hinder people from moving into the business district,” Mr. Fangman said.

        The site includes Northern Kentucky University's Hankins Hall, where general studies and community education classes are taught, as well as five temporary storage buildings. Most of the acreage is owned by NKU, while the NKU Foundation, a nonprofit group that supports the university, owns about 17 undeveloped acres along Dixie Highway.

        “Our basic stance on this is that we will not support the development of any adult-oriented business on or near any of our campus properties,” said Rick Meyers, NKU spokesman. “The development of these types of businesses does not fit in with our mission, which is to educate students to be productive citizens.”

        Covington City Solicitor Jay Fossett said city officials sympathize with critics, but he said they are legally required to designate zones where sexually-oriented businesses such as strip clubs and adult bookstores can operate.

County gives $100,000 to Classic
Solutions sought for storm runoff troubles
Twitty set to speak out today
Increasing drug prices upset Price Hill seniors
Nice green lawn? It's long gone
Greenhills residents: Don't close library
Obituary: James Heidrich, revolutionized margarine
Soul fest won't bow to city boycott
West Nile virus detected in Butler mosquito pool
HOWARD: Some Good News
PULFER: Investment plan
RADEL: Blame it on wind
Alert officer lauded
Former Lebanon manager applies for post
Mason schools OK building
Officer suspended over sex charges
Plea deal in kidnap case
Pupils learn art, tech
Security tight at Dayton Air Show
Advertisement draws attention to phone issue
Controversial charter school that serves homeless kids may close
Ex-trooper guilty in shooting of wife
Group wants priest files to be public
Ninth death row inmate files appeal
Studded horseshoes used by Amish damaging roads
Taft promotes golf tournament at Indiana casino
Taft urges Feds to OK increases in spending for highway projects
Two charged in 'road rage' during funeral procession
Village orders ramp removed
Woman arrested while praying at ancient Indian mound
Docked Ind. boats worry racetrack officials
Kentucky News Briefs
N.Ky. teachers paid better than most
Town insists no room for porn
UK may end airlifts to hospital