Sept. 26--OAKLEY -- City council members here unanimously agreed Tuesday to extend a temporary urgency ordinance prohibiting Internet cafes.
First adopted at their Sept. 11 meeting, the rules targeting Oakley businesses that sell Internet access will be in effect for an additional 10 months while the city drafts permanent regulations governing their construction and operation.
Oakley leaders are worried about the potential for crime in and around businesses where customers can play computer games and enter online sweepstakes in hopes of winning a prize. An attachment to Tuesday's agenda noted that before Antioch adopted a computer gaming ordinance its police experienced a marked increase in the number of calls reporting fights, drug violations and other illegal activities after a couple of Internet cafes opened. Criminals are statistically more likely to patronize these businesses, according to the document.
Now that Pittsburg also has an ordinance on the books banning these businesses -- and Brentwood is considering following suit -- Oakley fears it could become a magnet for Internet cafes.
In other business, city council members bounced around ideas of how they might tweak Oakley's leafy logo to include a visual reference to the area's vineyards and a growing interest in related businesses such as wine tasting rooms.
They agreed to collect art samples from residents by holding a contest for a design that's simple enough to be displayed
on a pen.
"Control the creativity," said Mayor Kevin Romick, noting that the winning submission in a previous competition Oakley held soliciting designs for the city seal was so elaborate that it was difficult to replicate on official letterhead, T-shirts and other items commonly imprinted with logos.
Although the public could vote for its favorite submissions on the city's website, the council would have the final say and award the winner with a modest cash prize.
Reach Rowena Coetsee at 925-779-7141. Follow her on Twitter.com/RowenaCoetsee
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