Richmond officials propose zoning limits and stepped-up enforcement as vape shops link to robberies and youth access

City planning and police officials on the Public Safety Standing Committee described new zoning rules for vape and tobacco retailers and outlined enforcement challenges after police tied a large share of recent commercial robberies to vape shops.

Kevin Javonk, director of Planning and Development Review, said City Council in July adopted ordinance 2025-157 to amend the zoning code to regulate “retail sales of tobacco and hemp.” The ordinance defines such establishments by thresholds — for example, if 10% of floor area, signage, inventory or gross revenue is devoted to tobacco/hemp products — and makes them subject to conditional use permits, 1,000-foot spacing requirements from residential districts, schools, day cares, parks, libraries and places of worship, and a ban on drive-through service. Existing businesses that began operating before…