PORTAGE | Business licenses may be on the way, but it'll be a while.

The city's Ordinance Committee began discussion Monday evening on a proposal to have all city businesses register for a fee. Liz Modesto, a City Council member and committee chairwoman, said she doesn't anticipate making any recommendation to the full council until the end of the year while the matter is studied.

The committee is looking at a series of similar ordinances from neighboring communities and municipalities around the state. Modesto said Gary charges businesses a flat $50 fee for a license, while South Bend charges between $40 and $500 depending on what the business does.

"I'm for a flat fee, maybe by category," Modesto said.

Others, she said, itemize different personal property to formulate a fee.

Council President Ed Gottschling said it would be difficult to have someone go into a business and itemize and said a flat across-the-board fee would keep things as simple as possible.

Judy Alvey, an assistant with the city's building department, said there are about 894 businesses in the city that would need to register if an ordinance was adopted. That number would be closer to 1,000 when businesses at the Port of Indiana are added into the mix.

Retail, medical, automotive, service, industrial and recreational businesses are among those the city is considering for the ordinance, along with professional offices, apartment complexes, mobile home parks and private clubs. Tentatively, businesses that already go through a city-sanctioned registration process, like scavengers, jewelry stores, pet stores, taxi services, building contractors and sewer contractors, would not have to register twice.

In addition to providing the city with revenue, the Fire Department would benefit from the business licenses, Modesto said, as each business would have to fill out forms describing activities in buildings and whether they contain any hazardous substances. Should a fire break out, the department would already have information that could be used to more quickly assess the situation.