Staff presents ordinance to define and restrict 'specialized retail' tobacco, vape and CBD sales

Planning staff told the council the proposed text amendment — which previously was recommended for approval by the planning board — would create a specialized‑retail definition for establishments selling tobacco, vaping devices, e‑liquids, CBD and related accessories and would add standards governing proximity to schools, daycares, churches and residences.

Staff said that businesses already permitted as retail would be grandfathered and would not automatically be subject to the new rules unless they went out of business and later reestablished operations; staff also outlined typical application requirements such as distance surveys and noted other jurisdictions use similar deterrents to prevent relocations into restricted zones.

Council members asked questions about change‑of‑ownership triggers and compliance timelines; staff noted some application timelines at six months and described how proposed site‑plan and special‑use reviews would work if rezoning occurs.