Elk Grove to Discuss Tobacco Ordinance at City Council Meeting

Elk Grove tobacco and alcohol retailers. (Click to enlarge.)

The Elk Grove City Council will start discussions regarding the formulation of a new tobacco ordinance at its next regular meeting on Wednesday, June 22.

The item is being considered after several residents in the community expressed concern with the proliferation of tobacco shops in the city and that several are located near schools.

The city's staff report to the council acknowledges that implementing restrictions on where tobacco could be sold would be problematic as the existing businesses would be grandfathered in. Nonetheless, the report does advise that tobacco consumption could be controlled with respect to nearby schools.

In the past the city has been urged to consider regulation of tobacco distribution but no action was taken. According to Connie Conley of the Elk Grove Coalition Advocating Proper Planning, that organization urged the city to consider an ordinance regarding locations of tobacco retailers seven years ago. Although council member Jim Cooper advocated for it, he could not get support from council to place it on the agenda.

"The council didn’t act, Jim Cooper tried, but he couldn't get consensus for it to be put on the agenda," Conley said. "Then last year it happened; owners of a preschool and residents went before the council asking them, 'How could you let this happen? How could you allow a smoke shop next door to a preschool?'  The answer from the Planning Director Taro Echiburu, 'There is no ordinance in place to prohibit it.'"

In other business, the council will also receive updates on the affordable housing loan program and the neighborhood stabilization program. The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.