Sunnyvale hits pause on new smoke shops - San Jose Spotlight

Sunnyvale City Council approved a 45-day emergency moratorium to pause new smoke shop permits and adopted a separate citywide policy banning nitrous oxide sales. The measures respond to concerns about smoke shops opening near schools and other youth-oriented locations, selling flavored tobacco products, and marketing items that could appeal to younger customers. City staff will seek an extension on June 16 while studying zoning restrictions, tobacco retail permits, and buffer requirements near schools and daycare centers. Sunnyvale currently lacks smoke shop-specific zoning or permitting rules, so smoke shops can open anywhere retail shops are allowed. The city has eight smoke shops, with four opening in the past two years, and conducts yearly inspections for flavored tobacco and nitrous oxide violations.

"Sunnyvale leaders want to stop new smoke shops from popping up in town, especially near schools and other youth-oriented areas. The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a 45-day emergency moratorium to temporarily halt new smoke shop permits and introduced a separate policy banning nitrous oxide sales citywide. The proposed regulations come as city officials and residents have raised concerns about smoke shops opening near schools, selling flavored tobacco products and marketing items they said could appeal to younger customers."

"City staff plans to ask for an extension on June 16 while studying possible zoning restrictions, tobacco retail permits and buffer requirements near schools and daycare centers. "One of the new smoke shops that opened is right across from Ellis Elementary School," Councilmember Alysa Cisneros said at the meeting. "I'm not saying anything about them specifically, but any smoke shop that would be next to a school is definitely something we should be considering.""

"City Attorney Rebecca Moon said Sunnyvale has no smoke shop-specific zoning or permitting requirements, allowing the businesses to open anywhere retail shops are permitted. The city has eight smoke shops, with four opening in the past two years. "(The city) currently does yearly inspections for flavored tobacco and would look for nitrous oxide violations as part of those inspections," Moon told San José Spotlight. "With regard to the smoke shop regulation, we will determine the responsible department during the moratorium period when we study the best way to regulate these businesses.""

Read at San Jose Spotlight