MANSFIELD, Texas – Proposed tougher regulations on sexually oriented businesses won support from the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday night.

The City Council will consider the ordinance amendment next Monday.

Mansfield has no sexually oriented businesses, but several residents have urged the city to adopt stricter, court-tested provisions to help discourage any from moving to the city.

Commission members voted 4-2 for the revisions, which would include forcing adult cabarets, video stores and other adult entertainment businesses to close by 10 p.m. instead of 2 a.m. Other provisions would require employees to maintain city-issued work permits and ban G-string tipping and alcohol.

Some commissioners asked about even tougher provisions, such as a requiring a $50,000 deposit from sexually oriented businesses to help ensure that they don’t cause crime, declining property values or other ill effects in their vicinity. They also asked why the 1,000-foot required separation from homes, schools and other places couldn’t be more.

City Attorney April Virnig said courts frown on placing excessive burdens on adult businesses.

“We can’t prohibit them,” she told the commission. “All we can do is regulate them.”

After the meeting, Commissioner Beverly Thompson Roberts said she voted against the measure because she didn’t feel it was strict enough. Commissioner Cheryl Litke declined to explain why she voted against it.

Barton Scott, a resident who researched other cities’ ordinances and suggested provisions to Mansfield staff, praised the proposal.

“If this ordinance is adopted as is, Mansfield will probably be one of the 10 most stringent cities in the state of Texas as far as regulating adult businesses,” Scott told commissioners.

The City Council will consider the changes at its meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 1200 E. Broad St.