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Rowlett council seeks stricter vapor-store rules and clearer enforcement tools
Summary
Staff briefed council on the city's vapor-store ordinance (a 90% revenue threshold for SUP oversight), and council debated lowering the threshold, using floor/display area, annual registration and distance limits; staff was instructed to research zoning and enforcement options and return with proposals.
City staff briefed the council on the vapor-store ordinance, which defines a "vapor store" as a retail establishment deriving at least 90% of gross revenues from e-cigarettes and related CBD products and subjects qualifying locations to a special use permit (SUP). "Vapor store means a retail establishment that ... receive at least 90 of its gross revenues for the sale of ecigarettes or ecigarettes and CBD products," the presentation said, and staff noted that only three locations have SUPs while others either predated the ordinance or fall below the threshold.
Council members debated enforcement and practicality: some favored lowering a revenue threshold to 51% or using a floor/display-area metric (15% to 25% suggested) to identify vape shops more reliably, and proposed annual registration and spot inspections to verify compliance. Staff and the city attorney explained legally nonconforming businesses are grandfathered if they were lawfully established before the ordinance, and staff was directed to study zoning district limits, spacing requirements, and enforcement partnerships before returning to council. Council moved into executive session for legal advice on the item and returned with direction for staff to prepare zoning-based options.
