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Anaheim adopts ordinances to regulate nitrous oxide and kratom; broad zoning amendments approved
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted local ordinances to regulate the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide and kratom and approved multiple amendments to zoning chapters and specific plans, finding CEQA applicability per the staff report.
The Anaheim City Council on Jan. 11 adopted three ordinances to address public‑health and land‑use matters: new municipal code provisions to regulate nitrous oxide and kratom sales, and a comprehensive set of zoning and specific‑plan amendments that staff said modernize existing code sections and adjust development standards for multiple plan areas.
Heather Allen, director of Planning and Building, told the council the nitrous‑oxide and kratom regulations would take effect 30 days after adoption to allow outreach to retailers and code enforcement coordination. “We know these items are commonly sold at smoke shops and some alcohol retailers,” Allen said, and staff will coordinate outreach and enforcement efforts through code enforcement and the police department. She said both civil and criminal enforcement mechanisms would be available and that staff would return with an enforcement update in June alongside tobacco regulation reports.
Councilmember Rubalcava had pulled the item for discussion to ask about enforcement and marketing restrictions near schools; staff replied the ordinance targets marketing to youth and gives enforcement officers the ability to confiscate non‑compliant product when the ordinance becomes effective.
The council also adopted an extensive package of zoning amendments (Ordinance No. 6620) adjusting chapters across land‑use sections and making administrative clarifications; staff reported those amendments were accompanied by CEQA review and finding that the amendments do not require additional CEQA recirculation.
Vote: Council adopted the package by a roll call vote of 7‑0.
Next steps: Ordinances take effect according to the municipal code timetable and staff will conduct outreach and return to council with enforcement metrics in June as part of the tobacco‑regulation update.
