HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 18-230RESOLUTION NO. 18-230
WHEREAS, on June 10, 2014 the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas
adopted Ordinance No. 14-023 providing for the licensing and permitting of gaming sites
and gaming machines being operated in the City of Beaumont; and,
WHEREAS, the ordinance provided for an application process for gaming sites
and background checks of operators, a three hundred (300) foot distance requirement
from churches, hospitals and schools and, licensing and tracking of machines; and,
WHEREAS, in 2017, a zoning review was also enacted, however, the ability to
prohibit new gaming rooms solely through zoning is limited; and,
WHEREAS, despite these regulations, many game rooms have proven to
generate a variety of negative activities within the properties as well as nearby. From
January 2017 to January 2018, Beaumont Police Department received 3,494 calls to
911 for service to these locations and the surrounding area. Of this 'number,
approximately 1,000 calls to 911 were to the gaming locations; and,
WHEREAS, in an effort to better regulate game rooms, City staff drafted a variety
of amendments to Ordinance No. 14-023. However, during the review process, it was
found that State law greatly limits cities' ability to regulate these uses. Given this
restriction by the State, only very minor amendments to our ordinance can currently be
made; and,
WHEREAS, Administration requests that the City Council requests the support of
Senator Brandon Creighton, Representative Joe Deshotel and Representative Dade
Phelan in developing and sponsoring amendments to State statutes to allow Texas
cities the freedom to better regulate these uses within our communities; and,
WHEREAS, Administration also requests that the Texas Municipal League (TML)
develop and sponsor amendments to State statutes to allow Texas cities the freedom to
better regulate these uses within our communities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT:
THAT. the statements and findings set out in the preamble to this resolution are hereby,
in all things, approved and adopted; and,
THAT the City Council
requests the support
of Senator
Brandon Creighton,
Representative Joe Deshotel
and Representative
Dade Phelan
in developing and
sponsoring amendments to State statutes to allow Texas cities the freedom to better
regulate game rooms within our communities; and,
-BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City Council Administration also
requests that the Texas Municipal League (TML) develop and sponsor amendments to
State statutes to allow Texas cities the freedom to better regulate game rooms within
our communities.
The meeting at which this resolution was approved was in all things conducted in
strict compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter
551.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the 25th day of
September, 2018.