The National City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday establishing a comprehensive tobacco retail license program aimed at reducing youth access to tobacco and vaping products.
The decision came after more than a year of discussions prompted by what officials described as serious vaping problems in local schools.
“We realize that within our schools, we have a severe problem with kids vaping, and I mean, we see it on a regular basis,” Councilmember Jose Rodriguez said during the meeting. “We speak with principals on a regular basis, teachers on a regular basis.”
The ordinance requires all tobacco retailers to obtain an annual license at a fee of $700 and caps the total number of licenses citywide at 54. New tobacco retailers will be prohibited from operating within 1,000 feet of youth-oriented facilities, other tobacco retailers or cannabis retailers.
Council members made several modifications from the first reading, including changes to penalty structures and license transferability. The revised penalty schedule includes a warning for first violations, a $1,000 fine for second violations, a $5,000 fine plus 30-day suspension for third violations, and license revocation for fourth violations within a 36-month period.
The ordinance also clarifies that licenses are transferable between proprietors but not from one location to another, a provision that addresses concerns raised by business owners about succession planning.
City Attorney Barry Schultz cautioned against making additional changes during the meeting, warning that further modifications would require restarting the entire approval process. He noted the council could return in “a year or two” to make refinements after gaining implementation experience.
Mayor Ron Morrison defended the council’s approach of tailoring the ordinance to National City rather than adopting a model ordinance wholesale.
“There’s not one size fits all, and we’ve had a very special relationship in our community here, between our small businesses and the city itself and its residents,” Morrison said.
The meeting drew public comment from both youth health advocates and business owners. Some advocates expressed concern the ordinance had been weakened from its original form, while business owners raised questions about transferability provisions and implementation details.
Interim City Manager Scott Huth said implementation will require written procedures and ongoing dialogue with businesses during the permit application rollout.
The ordinance represents what one council member called “a really good example of a compromise” between youth protection advocates and the business community. It marks the first time National City has included specific compliance monitoring language in a tobacco ordinance.
The ordinance will take effect 30 days after passage. The city plans to conduct annual inspections of licensed retailers and compliance checks every two years using individuals between ages 18 and 20.