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Council discusses gaming accessory license limits; staff to return with fee recovery and hardening recommendations
Summary
Staff reviewed legislative history of video gaming regulation and current counts of gaming accessory operators; Council rejected geographic limitations in a 3–2 straw vote and asked staff to provide further analysis on fee recovery and physical hardening options before the next Council meeting.
Assistant City Manager/Community Development Director Glen Cole reviewed the history of the City's Video Gaming Accessory (GA) and Gaming Café (GC) regulations, noting that the Council previously adopted and later repealed geographic and numerical caps. Staff said the City currently has four GC operators and three GA operators (plus a recently approved GA license and one pending application). Cole told the Committee the legislative history is extensive and that prior code provisions had placed limits on GC licenses and buffer distances.
Council discussed whether to reinstate geographic limitations, fee recovery mechanisms, and options to harden gaming areas. Mayor Sanoica took a nonbinding straw vote on geographic limitations; the result was 3 in favor and 2 opposed to geographic limits. Staff will present additional information on fee recovery and hardening recommendations at a future meeting before any licensing decisions are made.
The memorandum and Committee discussion did not change current license counts; staff emphasized that any code changes or new licenses would continue to be subject to Council approval and public hearing processes.
