Resident urges limits on smoke shops and questions permit fees; council says staff report on moratorium is coming

A La Habra resident told the city council during public comment on April 21 that too many smoke shops and liquor stores are opening in the city and that the city's permitting requirements discourage family-oriented businesses.

"As of today, according to Google, there are an astonishing 16 smoke shops in La Habra," said Kristen De Leon, who gave her address on the record. She told the council many smoke shops and liquor stores are located close to schools and said she was told by city staff that opening a family-friendly business would require a $7,000 "customer user's permit." De Leon said similar permits were not required for the smoke shops and liquor stores she inspected and urged the council to "rethink your stance on the exorbitant fees that you want to impose on small business owners."

A council member responded that the matter is already moving through the city's process. The council member noted that at the prior council meeting a motion had been made directing staff to bring back a report on a moratorium for smoke shops and said "that staff report will be coming to city council soon." The same speaker said a separate earlier motion to reduce some conditional-use permit fees "by roughly half for certain businesses" would be heard by the planning commission soon.

Council members did not take formal action during public comment. The exchanges recorded at the meeting indicate staff will return with the moratorium report and with a proposal to reduce some permit fees; no ordinance or moratorium took effect at the meeting.

Votes at a glance: none (public comment; no council action at this time).