Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Council Weighs 12‑Month Moratorium on New Convenience Stores, Gas Stations and Smoke Shops
Summary
Planning department staff recommended a temporary moratorium to verify whether the city should limit proliferation of convenience stores, gas stations with convenience components and smoke shops; council members pressed for data on existing locations, exemptions for underserved areas and alternatives to address food access concerns.
City Council and planning staff debated a proposed 12‑month zoning moratorium on new convenience stores, gas stations with convenience components and smoke shops during Monday’s work session.
Tito Martinez, assistant director of planning, said the planning commission unanimously requested the moratorium to “hit the pause button” while staff gathers data and considers ordinance amendments. “They asked what can we do to stop the spread of convenience stores and smoke shops, and a moratorium was presented to them by me as an option on a temporary stop while we look at how to address their concerns,” Martinez said.
Martinez told council staff counted more than 50 related businesses citywide: “22 stand alone…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
