The Akron City Council Planning Committee referred an ordinance that would add a smoke-shop licensing requirement to the city’s business regulations and requested further study of the proposal alongside companion zoning rules.

The ordinance would amend Title 11, Chapter 111 of the codified ordinances to add Article 39 (Smoke Shops), including Section 111.64 and penalty section 111.641. A staff member told the committee the licensing regime is intended to work in tandem with zoning rules to regulate spacing of businesses that either derive a certain share of revenue from covered products or devote a specified portion of floor space to those items.

At the meeting the staff member said the proposal broadens prior vape regulation to include hemp-derived and cannabinoid-derived products such as kratom and delta‑8. The staff member explained the license would be required when a business met the ordinance’s revenue- or floor-space thresholds and that licensing would enable the city to regulate spacing throughout Akron. A committee member asked about the license fee; the staff member said a $200 acquisition fee had been mentioned but also clarified that the ordinance does not set the fee amount. The staff member said fees collected under the section “shall be exclusively by the treasurer’s office assessments and licenses” and that the fee revenue would not be placed in a separate enterprise fund.

Committee members said they wanted clearer language on the dollar amount and the process for setting it. The staff member told the committee the fee level is not defined in the ordinance and appears to be set outside the ordinance by the director of finance; members said council should weigh in on that decision. After discussion the committee moved to refer the ordinance for further consideration; the chair announced that “the ayes have it.”

The committee did not take final action to adopt the licensing scheme; next steps identified in the discussion were further review in conjunction with the companion zoning ordinance and clarification of fee-setting and fund accounting before substantive council action.