On Monday, Oct. 14, the Rock Island City Council placed a moratorium on the development of new vape shops within the city. The ban is in effect until it is lifted on Dec. 31, 2024.
The moratorium will allow more time for council members to further discuss future changes and language updates within the ordinance, as well as how to develop spaces within the city. Fifth Ward Alderman Dylan Parker said the moratorium is only the first step.
"We can't just clamp down on no vape shop here, but rather we need to be progressive, we need to be proactive in redeveloping these locations," Parker said in the Council meeting.
During Monday's City Council meeting, council members also discussed ideas of placing a cap number on vape shops in Rock Island and banning the sale of flavored tobacco. After Moline placed a cap on vape shops in 2023, City Clerk Samantha Gange said similar strategies could be considered for Rock Island.
"I've done some research, I just know having a friend work for the city of Moline, they have capped all of their tobacco licenses and some other cities have done that as well," Gange said in the Council meeting. "...That'll probably be our recommendation is to cap the number of vape shops in the city.
The city defines a vape shop as a business with 80% of its revenue coming from the sale of tobacco products. There are currently four within the city.
This suspension follows a six-month moratorium of vape shops in June 2022, and zoning ordinances in March 2023, prohibiting vape shops from opening within the city and within 100 feet of residential districts.
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