INFORMATION #1 10-08-2001 NFORMATiON
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
,/
Scott Harlicker, Senior Planner,~/
October 8, 2001
Smoke Shops
The Mayor and Council recently received a letter from Sabry Wazwaz, owner of Y & S
Smoke Shop, (attached) requesting that the City consider prohibiting any new smoke shops
in the City. In his letter he referenced a similar prohibition ordinance in Minneapolis. Staff
contacted the licensing and zoning offices at the City of Minneapolis and found that no such
ordinance exists. Several years ago the City approved a moratorium on new smoke shops so
that the city could have an opportunity to amend the ordinance as it relates to smoke shops.
That moratorium has since been lifted. The new ordinance requires a CUP for smoke shops
outside of the downtown area.
Our Zoning Code does not identify smoke shops as a specific use. For zoning purposes staff
would consider them a retail use. Section 708 of the City Ordinance regulates the sale of
tobacco, with no separate definition for smoke shop. For licensing purposes, the sale of
tobacco is treated the same whether it is 10% or 90% of a business's sales. Tobacco sale
licenses are valid for one year, and renewal of a license is handled in the same manner and
with the same consideration as the original license application.
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