By Greg Jordan, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Vape shops are becoming a common sight in the region’s counties and towns, so the city of Bluefield is considering a zoning ordinance which would regulate where future vape stores can be opened.
A possible zoning ordinance for vape shops was discussed this week during a meeting of the Bluefield Planning Commission. Such an ordinance would have to first go through the city’s planning commission and become part of the city’s comprehensive plan, City Manager Cecil Marson said. Then it would go to the Bluefield Board of Directors for two public readings and public hearings.
City Attorney Anthony Heltzel said vape shops that had been opened already in the city would be grandfathered in. A zoning ordinance would restrict new vape shops to zones where they would be less influential on the city’s young people. One goal would be to keep them out of residential districts and away from daycares, schools, parks, playgrounds and other places that young people frequent.
“In order to pass a zoning ordinance, we would first have to have a comprehensive plan. Once the comprehensive plan’s in place, we have to do a study in the city to find locations where this can be done,” Heltzel said. “As long as it does not interfere with what’s in the comprehensive plan and we have the required public meetings and the planning commission would take a vote on it and move forward to be voted on by the city board. We would have two public meetings at the city board as well.”
Heltzel said that he thinks the growing numbers of vape shops is an important issue.