Town Board Adopts Code Limiting Hookah Bars And Vape Shops

 

Farmingville – At a Public Hearing held during the May 12 Town Board Meeting, a new code amendment to limit vape shops and hookah bars was unanimously adopted by the Town Board.

Co-sponsored by Councilwoman Jane Bonner and Councilman Neil Foley, the changes to the code were in response to Brookhaven Town residents’ concern about the growing number of “indoor smoking establishments” in their communities. Prior to the hearing, the Town received letters of support for the amendment from the Superintendents of the Rocky Point, Miller Place and Mount Sinai School Districts, as well as from the North Shore Youth Council and the Medford Taxpayers and Civic Association.

The amendment to Chapter 85-1 (Definitions; word usage) now includes “hookah,” “electronic cigarettes,” “e-liquids,” “marijuana derivatives” and “vapors,” along with traditional tobacco products. Chapter 85-433 (Special Permit Criteria) now clearly identifies where indoor smoking establishments are prohibited, including:

• Within a five- hundred-foot radius of any area zoned for residential use.
• Within 1,000 feet of the lot line of any premises used for a school, church or other place of religious worship, park, playground, or playing field, library, hospital or similar public or semi-public place of general congregation, or non-degree granting instruction programs, including self-defense, dance, swimming, gymnastics, and other sports.

It also states that “no more than one indoor smoking establishment shall be located on any lot.”

Councilwoman Bonner said,  “Tobacco, e-cigarettes and vapors are a gateway to other, more dangerous activities including marijuana, heroin and opiate abuse. That’s why it’s so important that we do everything we can to keep these things out of the hands of our children. I thank all the people who took the time to write letters or speak at the public hearing in support of these changes in the law.”

Councilman Foley said, “We all know that smoking tobacco leads to very serious health problems, but research on these other products is still uncertain. I am happy to co-sponsor this new legislation with Councilwoman Bonner that helps to keep these potentially dangerous activities far away from our children.”

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