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Porn Producers Consider Moving Operations From Valley To Camarillo

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (CBSLA.com)—  LA County earned its title as porn capital of the world.

Straight, gay, you name it -- many leading porn companies and productions are based in LA County, many of them in the San Fernando Valley.

But with a strict new condom ordinance on the books in LA County, many producers are looking for alternative sites to shoot.

Many producers said they were looking to move to nearby locations, like Chatsworth or Camarillo.

But KCAL9's Brittney Hopper reports, Ventura County might be a problem.  Those cities aren't sure they want to be known for adult movies.

Camarillo City Council members voted Wednesday night and agreed to a 45-day moratorium on making adult movies and videos.

And that is not sitting too well with members of the adult film community. Adult film director and star Steven St. Croix says he is annoyed.

"I think Ventura County, the officials, are over reacting," said St. Croix.

Wednesday night the Camarillo City Council unanimously voted to stop production of adult films after the city received a number of film permit requests.

"We wanted to be able to look into the possibility of considering a safer sex ordinance," said Brian Pierik, Camarillo City Attorney.

The safer sex ordinance would be similar to LA County's Measure B, which requires producers of adult films who are issued a city film permit to implement safe sex by having performers use condoms. That measure passed last year and has forced some production companies to film in other counties that don't have the same ordinance. Camarillo City Attorney says they want to look at the safety and health for the all those involved.

"With respect to their health in terms of STDs as well as AIDS and HIV and to the extent that they are in our community, that would be a concern from the residents as well," said Pierik.

Many in the adult film industry say if these measures continue, it will force production companies to film outside of California. This, in turn, will take the revenue that the industry generates out of the state.

"They're forcing us to go into studios. We don't have studios that are prepared and set up to have that value that we would get if we shoot on location," said St. Croix.

The city has 45 days to decide what they're going to do. They will meet again in two weeks.

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