FREDERICK - The Frederick County Planning Commission voted Wednesday against a countywide ban on slot machines or slots parlors.
County commissioners had proposed the ban after the state House of Delegates year passed a slots bill this year that included Frederick County as a possible location for a 2,500-machine slots facility. The bill was rejected by the Senate.
The planning panel, which voted against a ban on a 4-1 vote, expressed concerns that the county commissioners were trying to deal with a social issue through zoning.
Members also said the slots ban was premature because slots legislation has not passed in Maryland.
Racetrack owner William Rickman Jr., a Montgomery County businessman who owns land in Frederick County that some speculated was a potential location for a slots parlor, told the planning commission that the issue shouldn't be addressed until something was passed by the state.
"What is disturbing to me is that you would try to usurp the decision-making process in the municipalities," Rickman said.
The issue now goes to county commissioners, who voted 4-0 on slots parlor restrictions and have scheduled a public hearing for September.
County commissioners had proposed the ban after the state House of Delegates year passed a slots bill this year that included Frederick County as a possible location for a 2,500-machine slots facility. The bill was rejected by the Senate.
The planning panel, which voted against a ban on a 4-1 vote, expressed concerns that the county commissioners were trying to deal with a social issue through zoning.
Members also said the slots ban was premature because slots legislation has not passed in Maryland.
Racetrack owner William Rickman Jr., a Montgomery County businessman who owns land in Frederick County that some speculated was a potential location for a slots parlor, told the planning commission that the issue shouldn't be addressed until something was passed by the state.
"What is disturbing to me is that you would try to usurp the decision-making process in the municipalities," Rickman said.
The issue now goes to county commissioners, who voted 4-0 on slots parlor restrictions and have scheduled a public hearing for September.
