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Commission holds first reading to exempt retail tobacco stores from smoking ban with 40% sales threshold
Summary
The commission held a first reading of an amendment defining and exempting "retail tobacco stores" from the city's smoking regulations if 40% of annual gross sales are tobacco product–related; staff compared thresholds used by other cities.
The Richmond City Board of Commissioners held a first reading of an amendment that would add a definition and exemption for "retail tobacco stores" to the city smoking ordinance.
Under the proposed change, an establishment would qualify as a retail tobacco store if it generates more than 40% of annual gross sales from the sale of leaf tobacco products and accessories; online sales would not count as local sales. The amendment would permit such retail tobacco stores to be exempted from certain city smoking regulations; establishments claiming the status would be subject to random audits by the city.
City staff said the 40% threshold reflects a middle ground between other cities' thresholds: Louisville adopted a 15% threshold for a similar exemption and Georgetown used 50%; staff recommended 40% as a local standard after comparing peers and said several parties have expressed interest in opening cigar bars.
The item completed its first reading and will return for a second reading. No final vote was taken at this meeting.
