Residents against a proposed gentlemen’s club on Stimson Avenue said they do not feel the zoning application is legitimate and will speak against it at a Feb. 12 meeting of the Athens City Board of Zoning Appeals.

Members of the Near East Side Neighborhood Association met last night at the Athens East Elementary School and said the gentlemen’s club is inappropriate for the area, would decrease property values and would increase crime rates.

The proposed club will feature dancing and entertainment with 120 seats and no alcohol, according to the zoning application sent to Code Enforcement Director Steve Pierson on Dec. 17 from Three Wide Entertainment. The building at 9, 11 and 13 W. Stimson Ave. is owned by Pro Rentals, Inc.

The nature of the dancing is not defined in the application or in the city codes, Pierson said.

Some members said they did not believe the application was a legitimate proposal because Three Wide Entertainment’s phone number is rings to a cell phone and the signature on the application is illegible.

“(Demetrios) Prokos (owner of Pro Rentals, Inc.) may be using the image of the club to put variances (on city codes) so he could put in what he really wants — which is more apartments,” said Ed Baum, NENA member.

“I just don’t believe much of it (the club proposal),” said NENA member Jane Richter.

Prokos did not return calls from The Post.

The Athens City Board of Zoning Appeals will review the application during its Feb. 12 meeting, and NENA board members asked residents to attend and voice their opinions.

The proposed club may violate a section of the city code prohibiting businesses that are against morals and decency, specifically “pandering obscenities that do include performing”, said Councilwoman Debbie Phillips, D-4th Ward. If the board prevents the club from opening, Three Wide Entertainment could take the city to court.

Athens City Council is willing to take measures like requiring such businesses to be a certain distance from residential areas to prevent another club from opening in the future, Phillips said.

Three Wide Entertainment also might not have enough parking spaces for the proposed club, which the Zoning Appeals Board will determine at the meeting.

Pierson and Phillips said they have received numerous calls and e-mails about residents’ concerns over the club.

“None of them have been in favor (of the club),” Pierson said.

Gentlemen’s clubs in other areas can cause an increase in prostitution and can lead adult filmmakers to recruit in a town, said Judith Grant, director of Ohio University’s Women’s Studies department. Higher crime rates also are linked to areas with gentlemen’s clubs, Grant said.

Some believe that a strip club could cut down on crime.

“(The addition of the club) could possibly lessen the number of female assaults on campus because men will be able to go to the club and see a naked girl without getting her drunk and possibly taking advantage of her,” wrote Jasmine Manista, an OU student and exotic dancer at the Columbus Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club, in an e-mail.

Other students think the club could prosper.

“More students (will go) because you can walk there and walk home,” said Lindsay Watson, a senior political science major.

— Gail Burkhardt contributed to this report.