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Town preparing draft vape-shop ordinance with buffer zones, floor-area limits
Summary
Town staff told the liaison meeting they are drafting an ordinance that would set buffer distances (about 1,000 feet) from schools, daycares and churches, limit retail square footage devoted to vape products, and consider zoning and special-use permitting. Planning review and public hearings remain ahead of any final ordinance.
Town staff reported they are preparing a draft ordinance to address a recent rise in vape-shop storefronts. The draft will be presented to the Planning Commission and a November work session before further public hearings.
Staff described key elements under consideration: buffer distances (staff discussed roughly 1,000-foot separations from schools, daycares and churches), limits on the percentage or square footage of a retail floor area dedicated to vape-product sales for mixed retail/commercial businesses, and zoning restrictions (potentially confining vape retail to C-1 and C-3 districts). The draft may also treat some locations as requiring special-use permits to allow for additional public process.
Staff said the town obtained example ordinances from other municipalities (Quantico and Smithfield) and will circulate a January draft for liaison review. Members cautioned that using special-use permit authority has had limited legal testing and that implementation may require careful legal review.
The proposal remains in drafting; staff said they will share the draft language with liaison members and the Planning Commission before further action.
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