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Laredo council narrows "bar" definition to let cigar lounges sell alcohol after heated hearing
Summary
After hours of public testimony, the Laredo City Council voted to change the health-code definition of "bar," a move supporters say clarifies zoning for tobacco specialty retailers and opponents warn will weaken the city's 2006 no-smoking ordinance and expose workers and the public to secondhand smoke.
LAREDO, Texas — The Laredo City Council voted in February to amend the city's health-code definition of "bar," a change that allows tobacco-specialty retail stores and cigar lounges to serve alcohol indoors under certain conditions.
The measure, discussed amid a packed public hearing, drew sharp opposition from local public-health groups and support from the entrepreneur proposing a cigar lounge. Melissa Ramirez, program director for Serving Children and Adults in Need (SCAN), told the council the amendment would "significantly weaken the ordinance" and urged a public workshop before any change. "Changing the long standing definition of the term bar ' to exclusively benefit tobacco specialty retail stores or cigar lounges is bad public health policy," Ramirez said.
Dr. Christopher Craddock, chief operating officer at SCAN, said the 2006 ordinance was created to protect workers and the public from secondhand smoke and that allowing alcohol sales alongside indoor smoking would "turn the clock back 20 years." He asked the council to hear from the public-health director before voting.
Geronimo Trevino, who said he plans to open a cigar lounge, argued the proposed update simply aligns conflicting definitions between the health code and the land-development code and would allow an otherwise lawful business model. "I'm not a bar," Trevino said. "This is a refined, adult-only establishment focusing on premium cigars and fine spirits." He said current rules allow a private-club model but that requirement would place the business outside the city's regulatory reach for public access.
Council members debated enforcement, HVAC and licensing requirements; staff said qualifying establishments must meet special-use, ventilation and TABC rules and that alcohol sales would be limited so tobacco remains the primary product. Several council members also proposed narrowing any change to apply to "cigar sales only" to reduce the risk of broader conversions by other types of tobacco or vape shops.
After floor amendments and discussion, the council approved the ordinance change. Supporters said the measure creates a clearer, administrable standard for licensing and zoning. Opponents vowed to press for additional safeguards and a public workshop to measure community preference.
The council did not adopt a moratorium or immediate operational change for existing businesses; enforcement and application review will proceed under the revised code definitions and existing special-use permit processes.
