Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Paterson council begins first reading of smoke‑shop licensing ordinance amid calls for stricter zoning and enforcement
Summary
After more than two years of committee work, the council advanced a first‑reading ordinance to license smoke shops and tobacco stores; members requested added zoning spacing, caps, hours, and enforcement teeth and were told some changes could require Planning Board referral.
The council took up a long‑debated first reading to create a municipal license for smoke shops and tobacco stores that current city code lacks. Staff said the ordinance gives health inspectors the authority to inspect shops that were previously only monitored at the state level and creates municipal enforcement mechanisms, including possible license suspension or revocation.
Council members pressed for additional measures they said would give the ordinance "teeth." Councilman Louis Velez proposed adding distance limits (for example, 500 feet between shops or prohibitions near schools, houses of worship and mixed‑use buildings with upstairs residences) and a hard cap on new licenses. Corporation counsel cautioned that some spacing or zoning changes would implicate land‑use regulations and likely require a Planning Board referral and notice.
Council members and the public also raised enforcement questions: what happens if a health inspector discovers illegal drugs or major criminal activity during an inspection, and what capacity will the city have to carry out regular inspections given current staffing levels. The director said the ordinance would allow the health department to inspect and confiscate illegal products and to coordinate referrals to ABC, narcotics and police when criminal matters appear. Council asked for an itemized list of proposed amendments and recommended further committee work and Planning Board review before final passage.
What's next: The smoke‑shop licensing ordinance remains at first reading; council members asked that specific amendments (distance/caps/hours and enforcement language) be drafted or returned to committee and planning for review before a final vote.
