The Stanly County Planning Board passed a recommendation Friday to allow county commissioners to consider a text amendment defining adult live entertainment.

Passed 5-0, with board members Tim Fesperman and Kevin Brickman not in attendance at this special meeting, the amendment was passed with one addition.

The original amendment defined “adult live entertainment” as “a performance featuring topless dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, or male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration.”

Board members voted to add the following dictionary definition of “prurient” to the amendment: “marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire – especially marked by arousing or appealing to sexual desire.”

The recommendation also contained further definition of an adult establishment. The phrase “and adult live entertainment” would be added to the establishment definition. Also, the phrase “massage therapy” would be further defined as “massage and bodywork therapy establishment.” In the definition, massage and bodywork therapy businesses would not be defined as an adult establishment.

Planning Board chairman Dr. John Eckman III said he was concerned about the wording of the amendment.

“Even though that’s the way the state is wording their similar bill, I feel like there’s a lot of gray area in it,” Eckman said during a phone interview Friday. “Some of what was brought up at the meeting today was just some of the situations that are going to require people to potentially get permits for and how do we define some of this.”

One situation Eckman raised in the meeting was a powderpuff football game. Powderpuff games are charity events which typically feature girls playing flag or touch football with boys dressed up as cheerleaders.

Eckman said some people may say it is fine for boys “dressed as cheerleaders doing dances like some of the girls do,” but “you get that subjective in there and some might say that is prurient in nature.”

Eckman said the consensus of the board was to allow county commissioners to “take a look at the issue” by recommending the amendment.