WHEREAS, On September 8, 2016 The City of Philadelphia’s Board of Health adopted changes to the existing tobacco retailing regulations; and
WHEREAS, if voted and approved by the Board of Health, these regulations would start on January 1, 2017; and
WHEREAS, Various City Departments can issue and adopt regulations without City Council approval; and
WHEREAS, These new Board of Health regulations would, but not limited to; stop any new granting of permits within 500 feet of Schools, retailers who are cited three times in two years would not be allowed to sell tobacco for a year, new density requirements as well as density planning districts; and
WHEREAS, These Density requirements would only allow for one Tobacco retailer per 1,000 residents by planning district; and
WHEREAS, Under the new density requirements all existing business with a permit would be “grandfathered” in but if an owner decided to sell or transfer the business to another person and it was in a “high density” district, then the permit would not be granted nor would any new business wishing to apply be granted a permit; and
WHEREAS, Under these “density districts”, Philadelphia City Council Districts could see a decline in businesses as well as business owners see a decrease in the total value of their businesses; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia City Council would like the opportunity to discuss the ramifications of these new regulations in the hope to make recommendations that the Board of Health will adopt; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby authorize the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to conduct hearings concerning the Board of Health’s proposed regulations relating to the Tobacco Retailing License and further asking the Administration and the Board of Health not to move forward on any Regulations pertaining to the Tobacco Retailing License until Council can conduct hearings on the impact these regulations could have on businesses and the surrounding communities.
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