A rezoning request involving the former Wesley’s Boobie Trap drew chuckles during the Jefferson County Commission’s committee meeting Tuesday. But Commission President Jimmie Stephens wasn’t laughing.

Owners Wesley and Rose Chapple sought to subdivide property, with parcel one being zoned A-1 agricultural and the other — where the Boobie Trap had been — being zoned C-3 for a proposed bar/lounge.

“What’s a boobie trap?” Commissioner Sheila Tyson asked.

Urban planner Michael Morrison explained that it’s an adult entertainment business.

“It’s a strip joint,” Commissioner Joe Knight injected

“I thought a strip club was a bar,” Tyson wondered.

Morrison explained that bars and lounges are zoned differently from adult entertainment establishments. Bars and lounges are zoned C-3; adult entertainment establishments are zoned C-5.

Wesley’s Boobie Trap was operating as a legal nonconforming business in the Bagley community, on U.S. 78 in northwest Jefferson County near the Walker County line, when it closed in September 2024.

“When the (original) owner opened the business, he could have that (adult entertainment) business in that zoning, C-3,” Morrison said. “There were no rules to regulate adult-oriented businesses.”

The Chapples initially sought a zoning of C-5 for the business but changed their request to C-3.

Commissioners voted 4-1 to send the request to the agenda of Thursday’s meeting, with Stephens casting the lone “no” vote. The property is in Stephens’ District 3.

“I’ve received so much input from the community,” he said, citing a petition with 300 signatures. “Being the representative for that area, I want to make sure that their wishes are met. It’s been overwhelming against the establishment and also the selling of on-premise alcohol.”