After a lengthy discussion, the planning commission unanimously approved business owner Gavin Morter's request to open Network Asylum, an Internet cafe, on May 25. The cafe will cater mostly to teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21.

Located at 68 E. Campbell Ave., Net Asylum will occupy the old ballroom supply store near Heroes Comics.

Morter intends to open a networked arcade with 24 multiple computers linked to each other and the Internet. Customers will be able to play multiplayer games such as the popular interactive shooting game "Half Life: Counter Strike." Because the customers are likely to be mostly young people, the commissioners were worried about the potential for those customers using the computers to surf adult-content websites.

"I'm a big believer in the First Amendment," Planning Commissioner Tom Francois said. But he questioned whether there was an effective way to filter adult material.

Morter said he was aware of a number of web-filtering software packages on the market, but he said none of them were very reliable. He told the commissioners that he believed the best way to keep customers from surfing inappropriate sites would be to have rules of conduct clearly displayed on a wall and to monitor surfing activity with his own eyes. He also told the commissioners that the layout of the business would make it easy for him to watch what people were doing and that those violating the rules would be asked to leave.

After listening to Morter's explanation, Commissioner Michael Rocha said, "I genuinely believe he is sincere, and I know these Internet cafes are a new form of entertainment for young folks."

Joe Hernandez also said that the commission should give Morter the opportunity to self-police the business, but if there are complaints, the community development director could review the issue at any time.

Troy Knapp, however, who lives behind the approved business, expressed concerns about excessive noise and parking. He told the commission that he was worried about "a bunch of 15- and 16-year-olds hanging out just outside my bedroom window."

Morter emphasized that he knew what it was like to have bad neighbors and that he didn't want to create that kind of problem. He agreed to rules regulating parking, times for emptying trash and hours of operation.

The city is also requiring Morter to stripe the entire rear portion of the building for shared parking. And recognizing that a number of customers will not come by car, Morter also agreed to provide bicycle racks to accommodate at least 12 bicycles.

Morter also wanted to stay open late, which he said was common for the Internet-cafe industry. He requested that the city allow him to operate from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The commissioners, however, denied his request because they were concerned about noise and neighborhood complaints. Instead the cafe will operate 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Planning Commissioner George Doorley did tell Morter that he could return to the planning commission at a later time and request the extended hours if everything ran smoothly.

"I didn't think they'd approve it anyway," Morter said after the meeting. "But I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask."

Although he didn't get the hours he wanted, Morter said he was nonetheless happy that he's one step closer to opening his business.

"I just want to open," he said.

And he added, "I thought the whole discussion about adult content wasn't necessary. Surfing adult sites just doesn't happen at places like this. If someone wanted to look at adult material, they would do it at home."