ZEBULON - Town commissioners here have adopted language in a new ordinance that regulates where Internet cafes can be located. Their counterparts in Wendell have established a 60-moratorium on such businesses to give them time to craft similar rules.

Internet cafes provide a range of services, but their primary revenue stream comes from online gaming services they provide to customers. They also provide basic office services, such as faxing and copying.

Town leaders in Wendell and Zebulon say the nature of the cafes main business warrants greater regulations.

"What they want to do is to set up in an area like a retail business where there wouldn't be any special rules applied," town planner Stacy Griffin told Wendell commissioners.

Zebulon Planning Director Mark Hetrick said the games are legal, but the characteristics of the game could cause problems the towns want to try to head off.

No one spoke at a public hearing held by the town of Zebulon last month. Likewise there were no speakers at last week's public hearing in Wendell which was held to take comment on the 60-day moratorium.

Wendell town attorney Jim Cauley told commissioners at the time the hearing date was set that the Internet cafes are legal businesses, but they've grown beyond the law's capacity to manage them.

"This use is ahead of the legislation, but they are legal," Cauley said.

That could change. The General Assembly could consider a bill this year that would essentially do away with the kinds of games that generate the most revenue for Internet cafes.

Until a bill like that passes, though, the businesses can set up shop in Zebulon with a special use permit in some parts of town.

Rules adopted by Zebulon leaders restrict the Internet cafes to heavy business districts, such as shopping center areas.

They wouldn't be allowed in downtown or along Arendell Avenue as far north as Town Hall.

Hetrick said the town could apply a number of restrictions in granting a special use permit, including banning or limiting the sale of alcohol, putting a cap on the number of computers in the establishment or requiring a certain number of parking spaces for the business.

In Wendell, town planners will have to win approval for changes to the town's existing land use rules by late March if they hope to establish them before the moratorium expires.

There have been inquiries in both towns by business owners who want to open Internet cafes in eastern Wake County.

Hetrick said his office has had three or four people apply for the right to set up the business. He says he gets about three or four calls per day from people asking questions about the businesses.

"I guess it's like any other business. Someone sees an opportunity to make some money, so they want to open these businesses," Hetrick said.