The Normal Town Council will meet Monday to discuss a new ordinance establishing licensing requirements for retail tobacco shops, and hear a presentation on housing from the McLean County Regional Planning Commission.
Several council members have previously expressed concerns about the number of smoke shops currently in operation in Uptown. The council took its first steps toward banning additional smoke shops in the Uptown area in March.
Now, council members will decide whether to enact an ordinance requiring a business owner to have a town license to operate a “retail tobacco store,” defined as a store where more than 15% of the retail floor area is devoted to the sale of tobacco and related products, town staff told council members. There would also be distance restrictions of 1,500 feet from another retail tobacco store or 200 feet from a school or daycare.
The city manager would be responsible for reviewing applications and making license determinations. Licenses would cost $200 per year.
In a memo to council members, town staff said "unlike most of our comparable communities, the Town of Normal does not (currently) require a license for tobacco sales."
"By regulating tobacco shops, the town will ensure that businesses selling tobacco and related products do not locate in areas where the products are more easily marketed to or accessed by young people. The regulation will also prevent the future concentration of these businesses in any particular area of town," town staff wrote.
Historically, the town has kept tight control over building design, land uses, and public spaces in Uptown. Town zoning code lays out what kinds of businesses are allowed, and tobacco shops are currently permitted.
Previously, council members Andy Byars and Scott Preston voted against initiating a zoning amendment regarding tobacco establishments.
Regional housing plan
Also Monday, the McLean County Regional Planning Commission is scheduled to present its Regional Housing Recovery Plan at the council meeting. A draft of the plan was released in March, and the public was provided an opportunity to comment on it through an online survey.
Included in the draft ware plans for addressing housing issues amid rising poverty levels in Bloomington-Normal since 2016, the creation of a regional housing coordinator position, and continuing the housing navigator position at Mid Central Community Action beyond the original two-year funding limit.
The plan notes there is limited affordability when it comes to housing, along with not much choice for young professionals or seniors, not much diversity in housing options, barriers to access for low-income people, and rising homeless and poverty rates.
Poverty rates have risen 1.5 points in McLean County overall since 2016, including a 0.6 point rise in Bloomington and a 3.4 point rise in Normal. The 2021 poverty rate in Normal was 25.6%, compared with 13.5% in Bloomington and 15.7% in the county overall.
The planning commission’s report noted the poverty rate for African Americans is significantly higher than for the overall population. The report called on policymakers to think about promoting equitable solutions that alleviate racial disparities and to effectively target groups who have historically needed more access to stable and affordable housing.
Discussion of all of this is expected at Monday’s meeting.
The council also will consider its omnibus vote agenda. Some of the items included are a resolution to propose a public utility easement at the site of a new Raising Cane’s Chicken restaurant; $34,950 for the Constitution Trail Lighting Project at the Connie Link Amphitheater; $256,017 for new audio-visual equipment in the council chambers; and an agreement with Midwest Fiber Recycling to institute a drop-box recycling program in the area.
