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Merced council directs staff to draft card-room ordinance to align with new state law
Summary
The council voted unanimously to direct staff to draft an amendment to the city27s card-room ordinance so local rules conform to recent state law that allows a phased expansion of card tables; members said any increases should be available to operating establishments and subject to conditional-use review.
Merced City Council on Wednesday unanimously directed staff to draft a local ordinance to align the city27s card-room regulations with changes in California law that permit a gradual increase in card tables.
Chief Deputy City Attorney Rhonda Lucas told the council the existing city code capped card tables at 12 across two permitted rooms and that state law adopted in 2024 creates a framework allowing two additional tables in the first year and two more every four years thereafter, up to 22 tables. "Once the ordinance takes effect ... you could increase 2 additional tables within the first year," Lucas said.
Council members pressed staff on how the new tables would be allocated and raised concerns about a nonoperating permit that currently holds unused capacity. Council member Smith asked whether increases could be targeted to tables "in operation" rather than allocated to a nonoperating permit; Lucas said the draft could include language to prioritize operating card rooms, subject to Department of Justice review. "I would like to see it go to operating card rooms and not have it be a benefit that doesn't really help anybody," Smith said.
Police comments cited limited public-safety impacts at the existing operating facility. The police representative said the card room has generated few calls for service and "requires less police response than, like, a bar." The council also heard that Casino Merced had been an active partner and that there were no outstanding enforcement issues in city records.
Council member Harris made the motion to pursue drafting the ordinance with language to specify operational tables; it passed unanimously. Lucas said staff would engage the Department of Justice and return the draft ordinance for first reading and subsequent adoption if appropriate.
The action directs staff to prepare a draft ordinance for future council consideration; it does not change the code or authorize any immediate increase until the council takes further formal action.
