CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council learned more this week about a proposed ordinance to restrict future smoke and vape shops in their distance from schools, churches and parks.

Regional Planning Commission Director Jeff Tyndall told the council the RPC has been building the proposed ordinance over the last couple of months, working to define vape shops, smoke shops and tobacco shops, because there is no current definition for any of these businesses.

He said while the number fluctuates, there are more than 50 businesses considered to be smoke shops in Clarksville. He also said the RPC looked into setting a limit for the number of smoke shops, similar to the existing limit on liquor stores.

“We decided that that was not appropriate for this, but to (rather) limit the distance between them so that they would eventually, over time, spread out more equally,” Tyndall said Thursday.

| PREVIOUSLY: Smoke shops in Clarksville: RPC recommends new distance limits, better definitions

Councilwoman Stacey Streetman said she was the one who asked the RPC to create the proposal forward due to comments and concerns from the public.

“I know you have spent considerable time taking it to various different groups, including the Land Development Advisory Committee, which is also what prompted now the county to request of the RPC,” Streetman said. “Currently as we stand today, these can go anywhere in any commercial district, so this will allow it to be better tuned into a specific area.”

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Tyndall said he also spoke with other Tennessee cities, including Goodlettsville and Hendersonville. “This is crafted very similar to how they passed it,” he said. “They’ve had these in for about a year, and they haven’t had any problems.”

Concerns of overreach: ‘We’re starting to regulate these people to death’

Councilman Tim Chandler objected to the proposal over concerns about government overreach.

“We cannot compare these tobacco stores and cigar bars to liquor stores. I know that tobacco kills, but I know it’s not an overnight thing like liquor,” Chandler said. “To me, this just seems like another handful of government overreach.”

Chandler asked what happens if one of these business owners finds someone who’s offering a more affordable rent, and it doesn’t fall within the parameters of the ordinance. “What kind of money are we costing these people?” he asked.

Chandler said he’s not trying to be a hypocrite because he is a smoker, who also raised tobacco for years. “It’s wrong, it’s not good, but again we’re going into government overreach. What’s the next thing, nail salons or coffee shops? … We’re starting to regulate these people to death.”

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‘Younger generations are not smoking cigarettes; they are smoking vapes’

Councilman Eric Claunch said while he is also a smoker, moving smoke shops and products away from schools is imperative.

“It aligns with the state law, and the younger generations are not smoking cigarettes; they are smoking e-cigarettes and vapes,” he said. “The impact is significantly greater.”

Councilman Jimmy Brown said this ordinance will not take away tobacco products being in close proximity to schools due to convenience stores. “They may not have as big as a selection, but this is not going to stop that from being so close to a school, church, park – it could still be sold next door.”

Tyndall said he agreed with Brown in the sense of availability, but he believes the ordinance is aimed toward the optics and visuals associated with smoke shops. “When you pass a gas station, it doesn’t say vape shop. It may have a little sign somewhere,” he said. “We know this is available in other places, but it’s the concentration of it being a primary use.”

‘Evidence of a greater problem within our society’

Councilman Travis Holleman said our society has a serious drug problem. “Obviously there is a vast amount of these vape stores, weed stores, whatever we want to call them, around our city,” he said. “The fact of the matter is they exist, we live in a free market, and the reason they exist is because people shop at them. We care about money more than anything in our society.

“The amount of smoke shops is actually evidence of a greater problem within our society. Is this the right solution, is this the wrong solution? I’m not one to say right now, but I do think we need to take steps to heal ourselves as a society,” Holleman said.

What’s next

The City Council will next meet Thursday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m. for their regular session meeting.

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