The City of Norwich Common Council is considering a 12-month moratorium on the establishment of new smoke shops within the city's Business Improvement District. (Sun file photo)

NORWICH — The City of Norwich Common Council is exploring a temporary moratorium on the establishment of new smoke shops in the city's Business Improvement District (BID).

The proposed 12-month moratorium "temporarily prohibits the opening, siting, approval, or establishments of any new smoke shops, tobacco retailers, vape shops, or similar establishments within the BID while the Common Council undertakes a comprehensive review of zoning, land use, and regulatory provisions applicable to such businesses.”

The proposed moratorium states there is a concern about the health and safety of city residents, especially youth, which is the nexus for the proposed pause on the opening of smoke shops.

City of Norwich Mayor Brian Doliver said existing smoke shops and tobacco retailers would be "grandfathered in," meaning they would not be shut down or prohibited from selling tobacco products.

"It would only be in our business district, and of course we want to try to keep it to some nicer places downtown," he said. "Not just saying people can’t have tobacco products; that’s fine. We actually have one or two downtown and that’s fine. But they tend to want to pop up all the time."

He also stressed the moratorium would only apply to the Business Improvement District, not the entirety of the City of Norwich.