Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee Meeting – September 30, 2026

The Housing, Urban Development and Zoning (HUDZ) Committee met on September 30, 2026, at 5:00 AM UTC to consider Board Bill 81, a text amendment to the zoning code that would require smoke shops to obtain conditional use permits in all districts where they were previously permitted by right. The meeting included a presentation from the Planning and Urban Design Agency, testimony from the Building Division, and discussion among committee members. The bill passed unanimously out of committee with a due pass recommendation.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the hearing held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The motion was made by Alderman Aldridge and seconded by Alderwoman Sweitzer; all six present members voted aye.

Discussion Items

• Board Bill 81 – Smoke Shop Zoning Regulations: Alderman Oldenburg, the bill sponsor, introduced the legislation, explaining that smoke shops operating as general retail under 3,500 square feet currently receive permits by right, leading to issues such as loitering, illegal signage, vape/smoking products in public right-of-ways, sales to minors, and other nuisances that negatively impact adjacent residential areas. The bill would define "smoke shop" in the zoning code and make it a conditional use in the F, I, J, K, and L districts (effectively where previously permitted by right). Conditional use permits would allow the city to impose specific conditions and more efficiently revoke occupancy permits if violations occur.
• Planning Department Presentation: James Pfister, Senior Planner with the Planning and Urban Design Agency, presented the rationale. He noted that the Planning Commission unanimously recommended the text amendment on September 9, 2026. The amendment mirrors prior special use districts (Bevo in 2020, Dutch Town in 2022) and aligns with the future comprehensive zoning update (ZOOP), which lists vape/tobacco shops as conditional in all mixed-use districts. Pfister emphasized that the definition excludes convenience stores, gas stations, and other uses that already have stricter permitting, and that a recommended list of conditions will be developed by the Zoning Administrator rather than codified, to allow flexibility.
• Building Division Testimony: John McLaughlin, from the Building Division Special Project Unit, testified in strong support. He described the formation of a task force (including St. Louis Metropolitan Police, Attorney General’s office, DEA, Building Division, and License Collector’s Office) to address illegal activity at some smoke shops, including sales of synthetic marijuana products with THC levels well above the legal 0.3% threshold. He noted that conditional use permits would give communities a voice and provide a quicker enforcement mechanism (revocation of occupancy) if conditions are violated.
• Committee Discussion: Committee members expressed unanimous support. Several members (Alderwoman Sweitzer, Alderman Browning, Alderman Aldrich, Vice Chair Sanya, Alderman Cohn) requested to be added as co-sponsors. Concerns were raised about businesses misrepresenting themselves to avoid a conditional use hearing; Vice Chair Sanya suggested using a percentage-of-sales threshold to define smoke shops, but Pfister noted enforcement challenges and that ancillary smoke shops already face stricter permitting. The discussion emphasized that the bill is not a ban but a regulatory tool to allow community input and tailored conditions.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on Board Bill 81: The committee voted unanimously (6 ayes) to pass Board Bill 81 out of committee with a due pass recommendation. The motion was made by Alderwoman Sweitzer and seconded by Vice Chair Sanya. All present members (Alderwoman Sweitzer, Vice Chair Sanya, Alderman Browning, Alderman Aldrich, Chair Clark Hubbard, and Alderman Cohn) voted in favor. The bill now proceeds to the full Board of Aldermen for consideration.
• No other resolutions, committee discussions, or public comments were presented.
• The meeting was adjourned after the vote.