Chesterfield Vape Zoning Rule – New Guidelines for Vape Retailers

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors has recently passed a new zoning rule that could have a significant impact on where you can purchase vape products in the county. The proposal restricts the location of new businesses that sell tobacco, vape, and other smoking products to be at least 2,000 feet away from any Chesterfield County school. This article will delve into the specifics of the new zoning rule, its implications for vape product retailers, and the reasoning behind its implementation.

Understanding the New Zoning Rule

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors‘ new zoning rule restricts the location of new businesses that sell tobacco, vape, and other smoking products to be at least 2,000 feet away from any Chesterfield County school. To determine which stores are subject to the new rule, the board has introduced guidelines regarding the products sold. Stores that have 25% or more of their inventory or 15% or more of their display areas taken up by tobacco, vape, or other smoking products will be required to comply with the new rule.

In addition to the restriction on location, stores that qualify for the zoning change will only be allowed to operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week. Furthermore, these businesses will also be required to be at least 2,000 feet away from the property line of both public and private schools that house pre-K through high school students. The same distance also applies to the property lines of similar stores. As a result, no two vape stores can be within 2,000 feet of each other.

Reasoning Behind the Implementation

The Director of Planning for the county, Andy Gillies, says that the board wants to gain control over where these types of stores are going, as they are becoming more common. The county staff found that there were at least 235 stores selling tobacco products and nicotine vaping products in Chesterfield County as of September 2022. Gillies said that both the board of supervisors and the planning commissioners had concerns about the growing land use of these stores. He added that some national studies have shown that the density of the closeness of these particular stores increases the likelihood of students or adolescents taking up smoking or vaping. Hence, the board wanted to ensure that these stores maintain distance from schools as well as from other vape stores.

Impact on Vape Product Retailers

Several owners of local smoke shops spoke at the meeting expressing their concerns. Evan Somogyi, who owns four Kulture Smoke & Vape shops and two Kultivate Wellness CBD shops in Chesterfield, said that the new guidelines were “unfair and unjust” and took issue with the requirement that shops will now have to close at 8 p.m., which he argued will negatively affect business.

However, Gillies emphasized that this proposal will only apply to new businesses, meaning that the location of existing vape and tobacco shops in the county will not be impacted. Gillies also said that he and his staff looked at similar local business hours and tried to establish times that were reasonable and not too restrictive to business owners or customers.

News source: New zoning rule could change where you buy vape products in Chesterfield

Conclusion

The new zoning rule passed by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors restricts new businesses selling tobacco, vape, and other smoking products to be at least 2,000 feet away from any Chesterfield County school. This restriction will apply to businesses that have 25% or more of their inventory or 15% or more of their display areas taken up by tobacco, vape, or other smoking products. The new rule also mandates that these stores can only operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week, and they must be at least 2,000 feet away from the property lines of both public and private schools that house pre-K through high school students. The new zoning rule aims to regulate the location of these stores as they are becoming more common in the county. However, the new rule only applies to new businesses, and the location of existing vape and tobacco shops in the county will not be impacted.

FAQs:

1. Will the new zoning rule impact the operation hours of existing vape stores?
   No, the new zoning rule only applies to new businesses selling tobacco, vape, and other smoking products.
2. How many stores are currently selling tobacco products and nicotine vaping products in Chesterfield County?
   As of September 2022, there were at least 235 stores selling tobacco products and nicotine vaping products in the county.
3. How will the new zoning rule impact the sales of vape products in Chesterfield County?
   The new zoning rule will restrict the location of new businesses selling tobacco, vape, and other smoking products, which could impact the sales of vape products.
4. What is the reasoning behind the implementation of the new zoning rule?
   The implementation of the new zoning rule aims to regulate the location of stores selling tobacco, vape, and other smoking products, as they are becoming more common in the county. The board wants to ensure that these stores maintain distance from schools as well as from other vape stores.
5. What stores are subject to the new zoning rule?
   Stores that have 25% or more of their inventory or 15% or more of their display areas taken up by tobacco, vape, or other smoking products will be required to comply with the new rule.