The West Lake Hills City Council decided not to pass an ordinance that would clarify the prohibition of commercial filming in the city's residential areas. Members cited concerns about limiting free speech.

“It makes me a little uncomfortable and I’m not sure this is the right way to frame all of this,” Mayor Linda Anthony said during last night's council meeting. “Singling out the film industry, per say, is not really the direction we should be going.”

The ordinance would have amended articles in chapter one and chapter 38 of the West Lake Hills code of ordinances. The maximum penalty for a violation of the ordinance is $2,000.

Anthony said commercial filming took place at a West Lake Hills residence in 2015. The council members recalled parking and noise complaints from the neighborhood in which the filming took place.

“It certainly sounds like this was a large nuisance,” Council Member Brian Plunkett said.

Rather than prohibit filming, the council talked about clarifying restrictions on the use of a home as a commercial enterprise.

Small home offices for individuals like music teachers would not be affected, Anthony said.

“We want to make sure that our code addresses disruptions to neighborhoods and nuisances that something like this brings about,” Anthony said.

The council decided a review of the current code was necessary before action could be taken.