The rules, imposed in June, were meant to help the city crack down on prostitution by requiring massage parlor applicants to provide more detailed information. But Nash said at a late-October council meeting that the strict requirements are not giving officials enough information to adequately review applicants, and that the public process has become humiliating for lawful operators.

"It isn't working," Nash said, adding that the city needs a better approach.

The council agreed to pause the new zoning district while officials reconsider how to gather the information they need without burdening legitimate businesses. The move comes after months of debate over how Edmond should regulate massage parlors, which city leaders have linked to concerns about human sex trafficking.

In September, the city's first massage parlor permit under the new rules stalled amid questions about whether the requirements were appropriate. The pause is intended to give officials time to revise the process before moving forward.

Legitimate massage therapists and business owners had raised concerns that the public review process was invasive and could harm their reputations. City officials said they remain committed to addressing prostitution and trafficking but want to do so in a way that does not penalize law-abiding operators.

The council is expected to revisit the issue in the coming months.