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Cabaret owner says town ordinance targets him

The Town of Hempstead has a new ordinance that requires new restaurants to have windows, and the owner of a gentleman's club says he believes the town is targeting him. Billy Dean owns a cabaret in

News 12 Staff

Feb 12, 2016, 8:24 AM

Updated 3,263 days ago

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The Town of Hempstead has a new ordinance that requires new restaurants to have windows, and the owner of a gentleman's club says he believes the town is targeting him.
Billy Dean owns a cabaret in North Bellmore, and also owns a concrete-faced, windowless structure in Wantagh that he says he intends to operate as either a cabaret or restaurant.
Both facilities have drawn the ire of some residents, but now Dean's attorneys say he is being targeted by the town. Hempstead's ordinance requires all new restaurants to include windows on all sides of its physical structure.
"We have argued both before the federal court and in other places that the windows was just a made-up issue to prevent us from moving forward," said Dean's attorney Richard Solomon. Solomon says he believes the town passed the law specifically to prevent Dean from opening the new venue in Wantagh.
Dean's attorneys and the town have been involved in a legal fight over licensing at the property for years. Dean sued the town in federal court after it denied his multiple requests for a license to operate either a restaurant or cabaret.
Town spokesman Mike Deery would not comment on whether or not the new law was drawn up with Dean in mind, but did say, "Laws of this nature are proposed in the interest, health, safety, and welfare of town residents."
Dean's attorney says it's too soon to tell if there will be additional litigation tied to the decision, but he tells News 12 that he hopes the town reconsiders.