Wayne County Commissioners will vote on Internet cafe rules again
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 3, 2012 1:46 PM
Wayne County commissioners at their Aug. 21 meeting seemed unsure of what they wanted to do with an ordinance regulating the location and operation of Internet or electronic gaming operations.
Tuesday they will have a second chance to decide. The meeting will begin with an 8 a.m. agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. in the commissioners meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex.
The ordinance was approved 5-2 at the Aug. 21 session, but only after minutes of paper shuffling followed by two confusing shows of barely discernible hand votes.
The vote was so vague that County Manager Lee Smith asked commissioners to hold up their hands so that the outcome could be properly recorded.
Commissioner Steve Keen made the motion to adopt the ordinance. Keen and Commissioners Bud Gray, J.D. Evans, and Ray Mayo voted for approval. Chairman John Bell and Commissioner Sandra McCullen voted no.
Commissioner Jack Best did not vote, and in accordance with county policy, he was counted as having voted for the motion.
A second vote is required because the first vote was not unanimous.
The ordinance requires that the cafes be at least 1,000 feet from homes, schools, churches and other Internet cafes. They have to close by 11 p.m.
Existing operations will have 12 months to become compliant with the new rules.
State-sponsored lotteries are exempt, and the ordinance does not apply to any of the businesses inside a municipality.
Alcohol sales or consumption is prohibited at the cafes, and the county fire marshal will be required to establish an occupancy limit prior to submission of the operation's permit application.
The ordinance sets a maximum daily cash payout of $600. Any amount above that would have to be paid by check or credit.
In other business Tuesday, the board will hold a public hearing at 9:15 a.m. on a request by Sandra Thompson to rezone approximately a quarter of an acre from Residential 10 to Community Shopping.
The property is located on the north side of Potts Road at its intersection with Willard Lane.
Ms. Thompson plans to rent an existing building on the property to a charitable organization to use as a thrift store.
The county Planning Board has recommended approval.
Other items on the agenda include:
* Maureen O'Shea, a planner with the National Flood Insurance program will update the board on the county's Community Rating System.
The system is an incentive program that encourages communities to adopt floodplain management activities that exceed the National Flood Insurance program minimum requirements.
For communities that do so, flood insurance premiums rates are discounted.
* Pam Adkins, director of the Methodist Men's Ministry Center, formerly known as the MERCI Center, will make a presentation about the organization that handles disaster relief efforts.
* Commissioners will be asked to declare the new Senior Center on East Ash Street as a tobacco-free facility.
* Wayne County Planning Director Connie Price and Goldsboro Park and Recreation Director Scott Barnard will explain the city's request concerning a state parks and recreation grant.
The city wants to apply for the grant to expand a trail behind Wayne Memorial Hospital and Wayne Community College. The city wants the county to be the grant's sponsor since it already has a grant in place for Stoney Creek Park and is not eligible for this grant cycle.
The grant requires a local match and the hospital and college have agreed to donate the land which would count as the local match.
The city would prepare the grant, and be responsible for maintenance of the trail.
* Commissioners will continue their discussion of possible legislative goals to submit for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
* The public comments section will start at 10 a.m.
* Commissioners will meet as the Board of Adjustment following their regular session.
The session will include a public hearing on a request by Danny Bryant for a special use permit.
Bryant wants to open a day care center at 103 and 105 Dail Drive, Dudley.