Kankakee council limits future smoke shops to five, approves buffer rules

Kankakee City Council voted to amend Chapter 9 of the municipal code on June 15 to regulate smoke shops, placing a future cap of five smoke shops citywide, requiring current smoke-shop operators to register within 90 days, and barring new smoke shops within 250 feet of a school or within 500 feet of another smoke shop.

In-house counsel summarized the measure for the council, saying, "the smoke shops will be limited to five in the city total, but that smoke shops presently existing will not be asked to close 'cause we'd have to pick out five of them. So the smoke shops presently operating as smoke shops will have to register in the next 90 days." The attorney also said new shops may not transfer an existing license and that the ordinance implements proximity limits for future openings.

Alderman Tally moved to suspend the rules so the ordinance could be passed tonight; the motion was seconded and the council voted to allow final passage. On final reading the ordinance passed with 10 yeas and one nay.

Supporters described the ordinance as a way to control future clustering of tobacco- and vape-focused retail near schools and to require a basic registration for existing operators. Opponents raised concerns during the brief discussion that the cap and proximity rules could limit future business opportunities, but the council did not amend the ordinance before passage.

The ordinance takes effect per the city's normal code-adoption timeline; existing smoke shops must register with the city clerk within 90 days as required by the new regulation.