A temporary moratorium on development in downtown Covington is an attempt to control growth, not discourage it, according to city offiicials.

The moratorium, approved by the City Council June 24 and scheduled to be in effect until Dec. 12, temporarily restricts the processing of building permits and other land-use development applications within the downtown zone for 180 days.

City officials said a company recently expressed interest in building an asphalt batch plant in the downtown area. While development that’s allowed there includes industrial uses, the council felt that some high-impact industrial uses might not fit the image the city wants for its downtown.

Councilman Jeff Wagner said the council isn’t opposed to development, but does want the city to have more control over the type of development.

City manager Derek Matheson emphasized there are no plans to stop development downtown. The council’s recent action “is simply the best way to ensure our rapidly growing downtown reflects the community’s values,” he said.

Exemptions from the moratorium include permits for publicly-owned structures, tenant improvements of existing non-residential buildings, and applications for home occupations, sign permits and permits for upkeep of existing buildings.