A new Salida ordinance pertaining to tobacco and nicotine-based products passed, but with one major amendment.
The Salida City Council held a second reading and public hearing February 4th on an ordinance that would raise the minimum age to purchase or consume tobacco in Salida to 21, create a licensing program for tobacco retailers and would have banned flavored tobacco and vaping products.
Over an hour of public comment was heard by council members with residents voicing their opinions both for and against the measure. There was little disagreement on raising the minimum age to 21 or to licensing; the major source of contention was the ban of flavored products.
After the public comment and before council voted, Councilman Justin Critelli made a motion to amend the ordinance to exclude language about flavored tobacco and vaping products. That amendment passed 4-2 with Critelli, Mike Pollock, Harald Kasper and Dan Shore voting in favor of the amendment and Jane Templeton and Alisa Pappenfort voting against the amendment.
The revised ordinance, raising the minimum age to buy and consume tobacco and vaping products and creating a licensing procedure, but not banning flavored products went on to pass with a 5-1 vote. Councilwoman Jane Templeton voted no.
In other business, council selected Judith Dockery and Johann Steimle to serve as regular members of the Planning Commission; Michelle Walker will serve as an alternate member.
Jack Chivvis was chosen as a regular member of the Historic Preservation Commission; Steve Chapman was chosen as an alternate Historic Preservation member.
