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GREENSBORO—It will be another at least another month before the Greensboro City Council makes a decision on changing a city ordinance to ban concealed guns in parks.

The changes are needed to align the city ordinance with a new state law passed last year. While the measure passed, the council needed one more vote to change the ordinance. According to City Attorney Tom Pollard, the changes that are in this ordinance are similar changes that have been adopted by other cities.

The city of Greensboro is trying to update its conceal and carry laws. It's just one of many cities updating their policy due to a new state law. “We need to be very mindful of the fact that we are talking about parks where there are possibly children and families, and old people and dogs,” said Council Member T. Dianne Bellamy-Small.

However council members say they had concerns about the measure and how it might impact law-abiding citizens. Council Member Trudy Wade said the measure will cause lawful, permitted citizens who have taken the appropriate steps and training to carry weapon to not do so.

“The criminals who are carrying the guns aren't going to pay attention to the signs, so why are we criminalizing people who have the conceal carry permit,” said Council Member Nancy Vaughn.

While council members disagreed on how the measure might impact conceal carry holders, they agreed the ordinance would be hard to enforce.

“I think it's gotten blown out of proportion to a certain degree in the media because we are cleaning up an ordinance that at the end of the day is very difficult to enforce if, enforceable at all,” said Council Member Zack Matheny.

Without enough votes to put the ordinance into effect, the council will have to wait until next month to continue the discussion. The city council passed the ordinance change in a five-to-four vote.

The measure needed to pass by two votes, so it will go back before council next month.