County planners approve permits for Internet Cafes

The Richmond County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustments approved an application for a Conditional Use Permit for two Internet Cafes in Richmond County recently. One Internet Cafe is being opened at 897 Highway 1 North, the other is planned for 1619 Highway 177 South. Two weeks ago, the Planning and Zoning Board held a public hearing to address the applicant when questions were raised about the legality of the proposed businesses. Sami Salah applied for the permits after learning he would need them to open his business on U.S. 1, outside of the Rockingham city limits, and at the second location. The Planning and Zoning Board agreed to continue the public hearing to last Tuesday due to a lack of the applicant’s documentation to support his statement that the computers he plans to use are legal. According to County Planner and GIS Director James Armstrong, “The board passed it and he got a CUP (Conditional Use Permit).” However, questions regarding the legality of the cafes came up again at the second meeting. “They had a lot of discussions on it,” said Armstrong. “They found that they couldn’t determine the legality of it,” he said of the board. According to Armstrong, whether the Internet Cafe is illegal or not will be left for law enforcement to decide. “The board took it on precedent of Guilford County,” said Armstrong, referring to the fact that the General Statute bans video poker in all 99 North Carolina Counties, except Guilford County, which overturned the law in 2010. Armstrong said Salah presented the final ruling of the Guilford County case as his supporting documents to show that his machines were within the law. “I’m not sure where it goes from here,” said Armstrong on Monday. Richmond County Sheriff James E. Clemmons said the state Attorney General’s office is still in the midst of lawsuits to determine the legality of the video game machines used in Internet Cafes. “Once there is a ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the Attorney General’s office has determined what the law is, then we will go from there,” Clemmons told the Daily Journal on Monday. He agreed that, until laws are in place that directly address the gaming machines, law enforcement is up in the air. Salah was excited about receiving his permits, and being able to move forward with his businesses. “I feel good,” he said. Salah added, “I didn’t have to get a permit or wait a month with the other places; I didn’t have to go through this process.” Salah owns Internet Cafes in Laurinburg and Pembroke. He lives in Maxton.