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MOTION: Councilmember Hernandez moved to approve the recommended <br />action for Item No. 40, seconded by Councilmember Penaloza. <br />The motion carried, 7-0, by the following roll call vote: <br />AYES: COUNCILMEMBER BACERRA, COUNCILMEMBER <br />HERNANDEZ, COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ, <br />COUNCILMEMBER PENALOZA, COUNCILMEMBER PHAN, <br />MAYOR PRO TEM VAZQUEZ, MAYOR AMEZCUA <br />NOES: NONE <br />ABSTAIN: NONE <br />ABSENT: NONE <br />Status: 7 — 0 — Pass <br />**END OF PUBLIC HEARING** <br />COUNCILMEMBER REQUESTED ITEMS <br />41. Moratorium on New Smoke Shops — Councilmember Lopez <br />MINUTES: Councilmember Lopez stated the item was brought forward directly from <br />community members, constituents, and some retailers following neighborhood meetings <br />and spoke regarding the City's lack of zoning tools to limit the number of smoke shops, <br />prevent cluster, or restrict their proximity to sensitive uses like schools and parks and a <br />lack of a clear land use category creates enforcement and management challenges for <br />the Police Department and Code Enforcement. She expressed anticipation for the City <br />Manager to bring forward code changes, updates, and recommendations to the council. <br />Mayor Amezcua thanked Councilmember Lopez for bringing the item forward and <br />recommended a more permanent solution in the form of an ordinance. She inquired on <br />the potential turnaround time for ordinance consideration. <br />City Manager Alvaro Nunez expressed confidence in bringing forward an ordinance with <br />the requested aspects within 90 days, noted certain language already exists in Chapter <br />18 and Chapter 41, and stated staff will work with the City Attorney's office to establish <br />due process. <br />Councilmember Vazquez thanked Councilmember Lopez for bringing the item forward <br />and the Mayor for proposing a more stringent solution and stressed the importance of <br />preventing smoke shops from being built near schools. <br />Councilmember Bacerra asked the City Manager to consider bringing back <br />recommendations that include establishing required distances from sensitive uses, <br />establishing separation buffers between smoke shops themselves, conditional use permit <br />process, requiring public hearings, and ensuring residents within a certain radius are <br />notified of these uses. <br />CITY COUNCIL 24 DECEMBER 2, 2025 <br />