DeKalb city leaders debate limiting additional new retail tobacco stores

DeKALB – The DeKalb City Council recently debated whether to impose a cap on the number of additional new retail tobacco stores in town, though failed to gain enough Council interest to move the idea forward.

DeKalb city leaders took up the topic for review following a Jan. 22 council meeting, during which 7th Ward Alderman John Walker raised questions about what he calls an over-saturation of the market in areas where people of color are most impacted.

At the time, the city had received a request for a special use permit for the relocation of a retail tobacco store at the Junction Shopping Center.

“We don’t need three to four smoke shops in walking distance from each other,” Walker said. “We always don’t need those types of businesses in minority communities in order to make money. If you’re going to hold one ward, one community or one part of town in high regard, then I … better hear you want to clean up another part of the town, as well. ... If you don’t want a liquor store on a corner of a street that’s down the street or half-a-mile from another one on one side of the town, then you … better not want it on another side of town.”

Council members deliberated whether to cap the number of retail tobacco stores in town to five.

First Ward Alderwoman Carolyn Zasada said she would throw her support behind such a measure.

“I really like and respect the free market, but also when we are community developing it’s really important that we set the tone of what kind of community we’re trying to build,” Zasada said.

The city has five existing retail tobacco stores doing business in town, city documents show. There are more than 25 businesses licensed to sell tobacco in city limits.

Fourth Ward Alderman Greg Perkins said he would be opposed to capping such establishments.

“I think process-wise we can deny any one of those at any point in time without a cap,” Perkins said. “Business-wise I have concerns about putting a cap on something that restricts business when we have the ability to deny a fourth one down there.”

The City Council decided not to direct city staff to amend the unified development ordinance concerning the governance of retail tobacco stores because there wasn’t enough support to substantiate it.

City code already provides some guidance on the regulation of retail tobacco stores. It stipulates that all such establishments are special uses requiring a permit approved by the City Council, council documents show.

The code also requires such stores not be located within 200 feet of any residential property or nursery school; pre-school; primary, intermediate or secondary school; daycare center; or academic building or residence hall of Northern Illinois University. A retail tobacco store also is not permitted to operate within 200 feet of another retail tobacco store, city documents show.

Second Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson said it would be best to let the market decide.

Walker said he doesn’t plan to stop advocating against the proliferation of retail tobacco stores in the community. He said this is a topic that could be discussed by the City Council again in the future.

“It could resurface at a later date maybe when people start running for things because that’s when everybody wants to pay attention,” Walker said. “Everybody want to act like they care about all the people in the community is when it’s election time.”