The June extension was set to expire last week, but was moved into June 2025 as more time is needed for the city to “finalize changes needed to regulate signage and lighting associated with the operation of vape stores, and other businesses, including interior lighting that is not currently regulated” by Springboro, city documents show.
“We had determined early on that one of the main problems was what they call the trade dress of these facilities — the bright lights,” Law Director Gerald McDonald said.
“We were hopeful to have something for consideration by now. But regulating light is not an easy thing. You can have inadvertent consequences where suddenly you can’t have a parking light lit up because of a regulation” or something similar.
McDonald said Springboro is working with a consultant on zoning and how other communities are addressing the issue. New guidelines should be ready before the second extension expires, he told city council last week.
Vapes, also called e-cigarettes, are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale a vapor that typically contains nicotine and flavorings, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Specifically, Springboro has frozen “the acceptance, consideration, and/or granting of any zoning, occupancy, or other permits or applications related to vape stores,” according to city records.
When the initial moratorium was approved in 2023, the head of the Ohio Vapor Trade Association called the city’s action unfair. The state group also wanted Springboro to clearly define what a vape store is, as many large retail outlets, such as Speedway and 7/11, sell electronic smoking products in addition to traditional tobacco products.
Attempts to obtain comment from the association for this report were unsuccessful.
There are three vaping businesses operating in the city, said Springboro Planner Dan Boron.
In addition to researching the effects of vape stores in the community, City Manager Chris Pozzuto has said the city wants to create reasonable regulations to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community.
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