The Peoria City Council appears poised to create new regulations on tobacco and vape sellers.
The new regulations would create two classes of retailers. Class 1 includes businesses that receive less than 50% of their overall sales from tobacco and alternative nicotine products. Class 2 stores make 50% or more from tobacco and vape sales.
A Class 2 applicant would have to apply for a special permit use to open.
Patrick Hayes is the city's corporation counsel.
"This is very business-friendly for the type of business that we want to attract to our neighborhoods," Hayes said at the council's meeting Tuesday night. "And this is where we want to give absolute discretion to the council about saying no or yes to a single item retailer."
The new regulations are meant to crack down on a perceived over saturation of tobacco stores in the city among city council members. A cap of 15 Class 2 establishments would be created. There are currently 15 retailers in the city that would fall under Class 2. A 125-license cap would be imposed for Class 1; currently, there are 103 businesses that would be classified as such.
The item is set for a second and final reading before the council in two weeks ahead of a vote.
Peoria educator honored in council chambers presentation
Also at the meetling, longtime Peoria educator Aurthur Mae Perkins was honored by the city council for her contributions to generations of students.
Perkins was presented with an "H" salvaged from the stage curtain at the former Harrison School, where she was principal.
A tearful Perkins thanked the council and her friends, family, and former colleagues who crowded the council chambers for the presentation.
"I've never, never, ever thought I was deserving of any of this. I love children. I love what I do. And it was God's calling that put me at Harrison School," Perkins said.
Several generations of her family joined her at the ceremony, including her great-great grandchildren. Perkins joked that her son would have to find a place in her house to display the "gorgeous" gift from the Peoria Historical Society.
Quartet of items ties the final bow on Tabor brownfield clean-up
The council has approved a slate of items aimed at getting a brownfield on the South Side ready for redevelopment.
The Tabor property on Southwest Adams became city property in 2013. Community development director Joe Dulin said they always knew it wouldn't be a quick job, but the cleanup is finally almost done.
"The item in front of you gets us to that final place where we can say we have a clean site, and a brownfield removed from our community," Dulin told the council.
The remaining work includes contaminated soil remediation, installation of a suppression line allowing for fire sprinkler installation, and demolition of a former tattoo parlor.
