John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Safety Committee during the Feb. 10 meeting looked at possibly recommending an ordinance that could cap the number of new smoke and vape shops allowed to open in the city.

Codes Director Brittany Fiske said that the city has approximately 10 vape shops whose primary business is vape and smoking-related sales.

“In an effort to promote more versatile growth, or to perhaps limit excessive exposure to youth, the city could limit vape shop licenses,” Fiske said.

Fiske was not necessarily promoting any legislation, only responding to a popular complaint on social media.   

While no action was taken and several aldermen voiced a range of opinions on the subject, if enacted, the code would likely limit the number of new vape shops in a matter similar to the current cap of liquor stores than can operate in the city. The limit on licenses could impact stores whose sales are more than 25% of their sales are vape-related and the number of stores based on population or distanced from other shops.

Currently liquor store business licenses are limited to not more than one license per 2500 residents based on the last census. The 2020 census population was within 500 people of the threshold of an additional liquor store.

Alderman Ryan French voiced early support of a limit on new vape shop businesses. He said that new retail developers look at the makeup of a town’s current businesses when assessing a potential move.   

Vice Mayor Mark Messick noted that citizen complaints on social media also disparage the number of chicken restaurants and Mexican restaurants. Messick suggested that better enforcement of sign regulations on temporary flag advertising and air dancing signs would reduce the “eye sore” of vape shops.  

Alderman Crosslin said, “What are we legislating? Are we legislating a morality or we legislating a structure? We have to be careful about the former.”

“In theory, I couldn’t agree with you more, but I need to look at this some more,” Crosslin said.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.