Dalton council adopts six-month moratorium on vape shops, adult entertainment and similar businesses

Dalton Mayor and Council approved a six-month moratorium on the opening of certain businesses, including vape shops, adult entertainment establishments, event centers, extended-stay hotels, coin-operated amusement venues, massage parlors and pawn shops, during its June 30, 2025 meeting.

The moratorium, adopted as Resolution 25-09, directs city staff to draft updated ordinances and update code provisions to regulate the listed business types. Council members voted to approve the resolution at the meeting with no recorded opposition.

Todd, a staff member presenting the item, told the council the moratorium is intended to “provide staff the opportunity to craft some ordinances that place some further regulation, and needed regulation on these types of businesses.” Todd said the moratorium would run for a term of six months.

Andrew, a city staff member, added a clarification for the record: applicants for any of the regulated business types who had submitted a license, permit or other approval application to the clerk’s office before 5 p.m. on the day the resolution was distributed would have their applications reviewed and considered under existing rules.

Discussion at the meeting focused on updating code language to align with the city’s charter and to give staff time to recommend changes; no amendments to the resolution were recorded during the vote. The council’s action was framed as a temporary pause to permit ordinance drafting and code cleanup rather than a permanent policy change.

Next steps: staff will prepare draft ordinance language and return to the council for further consideration before the moratorium expires.