TRUMBULL COUNTY Adult-party decision appealed

Kay Hovis has run adult-only parties out of her state Route 7 home since 1979.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A woman who operates adult-only parties out of her Hartford Township home is asking a Trumbull County Common Pleas judge to help her keep operating.
Kay Hovis, of state Route 7, appealed the decision of the Hartford Board of Zoning Appeals. The appeal has been assigned to Judge Andrew Logan. No hearing date has been set.
The board of zoning appeals, Hartford Township trustees and William Eckart, township zoning inspector, are named as defendants.
Atty. Mark Finamore, township legal counsel, declined to comment.
The zoning appeals board denied Hovis' request last month for an in-home occupation conditional-use permit. The board ruled that Hovis' business appeared to violate zoning provisions for at-home businesses, including a requirement that the home business not take up more than 25 percent of the house.
Hovis' appeal asks the judge to reverse the zoning board's ruling.
Hovis has stated that she's been supporting herself by running adult-only parties out of her state Route 7 home since 1979. The 65-year-old wants the permit so she can continue holding weekend parties, for which she charged up to $75 admission.
Zoning situation
The zoning board of appeals has granted a stay for Hovis, meaning she may continue having the home parties pending the outcome of the appeal.
The area where Hovis lives is zoned residential, Finamore has said.
Hovis has indicated she wants to use the dwelling to provide one or more rooms to have adult parties and allow people to engage in sexually oriented activities.
Hovis testified during last month's hearing that she has about 15 to 20 couples at her parties. She said usually there are around 15 to 16 cars on party nights.
She also provided affidavits from neighbors who do not object to her continuing to operate the private parties. One neighbor, however, spoke during the hearing, objecting to the parties because of traffic concerns.
In the 25 years that Hovis has been holding her parties, there have been few complaints, township officials have said.
sinkovich@vindy.com