Mar. 4--The Joshua City Council approved an ordinance regulating sexually oriented businesses within the city on Thursday.

The ordinance addresses allowable hours, locations and other matters about such businesses.

Cities may not ban such businesses, but they may enforce rules to regulate them, City Secretary Mary Beth Thomas said.

The council passed the ordinance as a preventative, just-in-case measure, she said. No sexually oriented businesses presently operate in the city and no one has attempted to or inquired about opening one, Thomas said.

Council members appointed five residents to a park design committee. They are Mayor Merle Breitenstein, Councilman Butch Isom, 4B Chairman Pam Ingram, 4B member Jerry Moore and Joshua Baseball Association member Mike Kelley.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission awarded the city a $500,000 grant in January to be used for building a park. The committee will work with MHS Planning & Design during the planning process of the park.

The council passed a fence ordinance that disallows dog runs in front yards, regulates fence heights and other matters.

They also passed an ordinance regulating outdoor burning, which allows the practice as long as a countywide burn ban is not in effect but sets conditions, such as what materials may be burned, Thomas said.

Another ordinance approved by the council limits residents holding a garage sale to one sign, which must be a city issued sign.

Joshua elections

Three council seats, places 2, 4 and 6, are up for election on May 9. The incumbents have all filed for re-election. They are: Councilman Glen Walden, Place 2; Councilman Butch Maxfield, Place 4 and Councilman Bob Neeley, Place 6.

They are the only candidates to have filed so far. Residents interested in filing have until Monday to do so.

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