Yuba City adopts Plumas Street overlay to limit new tobacco, vape and certain alcohol retailers

YUBA CITY — The Yuba City Council voted to introduce and approve the first reading of a zoning ordinance establishing a Downtown Plumas Street Overlay (X‑28) that will prevent new tobacco and vape retailers and certain new off‑premise alcohol retailers from locating in the downtown overlay area.

Doug Libby, city planning staff, said the overlay would apply to parcels in the downtown commercial area — roughly bounded by Calusa Avenue (Highway 20) on the north and Bridge Street on the south, with portions of Center, Scott and Forbes also included — and would add use restrictions on top of existing base zoning. Libby told the council that the change is focused on new uses only and is not intended to force existing businesses to close.

"So overlay districts are really just a land‑use tool," Libby said, explaining that new smoke shops or vape shops could not be established within the overlay and that nonconforming rules would limit re‑establishment after a business ceased for a year. Libby noted staff prepared alternate language to allow limited wine‑tasting with purchase exceptions; council members discussed whether to allow a six‑month or one‑year nonconforming window.

Marnie Sanders, speaking for Blue Zones Project and the Downtown Business Association, expressed support for the overlay and the alternate language that would preserve limited wine‑tasting as a downtown amenity. "We are very proud of Plumas Street and the downtown business district ... this is just moving in that direction of protecting the integrity of that area and to be welcoming to families," Sanders said.

Councilmember Mike Pasquale raised the procedural question and indicated he preferred the ordinance without a wine‑tasting exception. The motion to introduce the ordinance with the alternate language "without wine tasting" was placed on the record and the council voted to approve the first reading by title.

Libby told the council the amendment is exempt from environmental review under CEQA’s general rule (staff cited the standard exemption that applies when a jurisdiction limits previously permitted uses) and that the planning commission had unanimously recommended approval. The ordinance will return for formal adoption at a future meeting (staff indicated adoption would be on the Sept. 2 agenda).