Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Amusement Machines Ban topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reopens discussion on banning game rooms and amusement redemption machines; staff directed to restart ordinance process
Summary
Council members agreed to revisit ordinances that would prohibit game rooms and amusement redemption machines in Orange following court developments and actions by peer cities; staff outlined required planning-and-zoning and ordinance steps and council indicated support for an immediate effective date if the ordinance is adopted.
The Orange City Council on Aug. 26 revisited an effort to ban game rooms and amusement redemption machines citywide and asked staff to resume the ordinance process following legal developments in other Texas cities.
Council member Mortimer reopened the discussion and said a joint special meeting of council and the Planning & Zoning Commission had considered two ordinances in June. City attorney (presenter) Mr. Knopf recapped the current legal landscape: the city’s 2023 ordinance required a $1,000 application fee, restricted game rooms to locations more than 300 feet from churches, schools and hospitals, required machine stickers and annual fees, set operating hours and required interior visibility. He explained that Fort Worth’s litigation over similar machines reached the Texas Supreme Court, the appeals court found gaming machines unconstitutional under the Texas Constitution, and Fort Worth then moved to ban game rooms and redemption machines. Beaumont and other peer cities have taken similar action.
Knopf outlined the steps to adopt a ban: draft ordinances to repeal or amend Chapter 4 (business and commerce) and Chapter 12 (planning and zoning), publish notice for a joint public hearing with Planning & Zoning at least 15 days in advance, conduct the public hearing, obtain a P&Z recommendation and hold two city-council readings (first and second) to adopt the ordinances. He said the council could set the effective date immediately upon adoption or choose a future compliance window; several council members favored making the ban effective immediately if adopted.
Council members said they supported restarting the process and asked staff to bring ordinances back on an expedited timetable, with a recommended joint public hearing date of Oct. 7 and council consideration on Oct. 14 if the schedule is met. The item was a discussion; no ordinance was adopted at the Aug. 26 meeting.
