Moundsville City Council members want to examine the city’s current policy to see if they can further limit the number of gambling establishments and vape shops permitted in the city.

Council member Don DeWitt first proposed limiting video gaming establishments and vape shops in the city to council during its last council meeting.

DeWitt observed “a large number” of video poker machines in the city and wondered if the council could limit their number in the city.

According to current Moundsville Planning and Zoning Code, establishments that offer or provide video gaming or lottery “shall not be located within 1,500 feet of any school zone, child care facility, place of worship or religious institution, park, community center or facility, library, recreation center or facility, public building or public area.”

Video gaming or lottery establishments are also not permitted within 1,500 feet of another establishment that offers video gaming or lottery, per the Mounsdville zoning code.

City Manager Rick Healy responded to DeWitt’s inquiry that before he was elected to council in 2024, there was an “extensive ordinance” put into place to restrict gambling businesses in the city. Restrictions to gambling establishments in the city were based on the Limited Video Lottery Act in state code.

DeWitt responded that he had “read the restrictions” for gambling establishments in the city but wanted to make sure there were “no more [poker machines]” in the city.

“I’ve read the code but I just want to make sure it’s more restricted,” DeWitt said. “I’ve seen other places limit the number of machines in their city per the number of people in the city.”

Council member Randy Chamberlain then questioned whether there were any restrictions on the number of vape shops in the city. DeWitt responded that the next item he was going to bring up to council was whether vape shops could be limited in the city.

“At the [West Virginia] Municipal League Conference, they said one in 10 kids are vaping,” DeWitt noted. “I think we have to at least look at limiting those.”

Mayor David Wood added he had recently watched a presentation about vaping and noted that the chemicals in vape pens can be “worse than cigarettes.”

“Of course the ones now [vape shops already in the city] would be exempt [from the policy,” DeWitt said. “They’ll probably be happy because they would have less competition.”

Healy did not believe there was currently any city code that restricted vape shops in the city.

Council members unanimously approved sending policies to limit video gambling establishments and vape shops in the city for the Policy Subcommittee to consider at their next meeting.