MESQUITE (1080 KRLD) - The Mesquite City Council is moving forward with a plan to temporarily halt the opening of new convenience stores in the city while officials work on new rules designed to improve security.
The council voted unanimously to support the proposed moratorium on the first reading of the ordinance after a public hearing, but it won't take effect until after another public hearing and final vote. Those actions are scheduled for a city council meeting next week.
"This council simply wants to make the lives of hard working-men and women who work at a convenience store or fast foot place or other stores that are open late, especially that they can go to their job, provide for their family and not be in fear of their life or their safety," said Mesquite Mayor Bruce Archer.
The city staff will work with the Mesquite Police Department to craft new minimum standards for development and permits related to convenience stores. Those could include standards for security cameras. Council members say the city needs to temporarily stop approving new stores while those regulations are drafted to ensure that new stores meet the new standards.
"By taking this pause and this moment to say 'hey, no new ones for right now', it's going to allow us to figure out what we're expecting," said council member Kenny Green, "so that if they apply to come into our city they're going to know from day one what's expected of them and what we're asking them to do."
The council did hear from some residents concerned about the impact of the moratorium.
"I'm sort of against all this regulation and restraint of trade," said Terry Knudson. "It takes a while for a business to open. I hate to see the city restrict any businesses or future businesses."
While several members of the council said they did not want to dissuade businesses from opening in Mesquite, they felt the proposed moratorium would not have a negative impact.
"I think that the businesses who want to partner with us, who want to keep their employees safe, who want to partner with us to make a safer community - they're going to be right with us," said Mesquite city council member Robert Miklos.
Mesquite requires three public hearings on the ordinance and two separate votes. Tuesday night's hearing was the second of three. The third public hearing and the second, final vote on the moratorium will take place on Monday, February 3rd.