Smoke Shop Near Schools Prompts Rocklin To Enact Temporary Ban
ROCKLIN (CBS13) — There's an uproar in the city of Rocklin over a proposed smoke shop near not one, but four schools.
The City Council approved a temporary ban on smoke shops near schools on Tuesday night.
So many parents have complained about the proposed shop, the city is considering putting at least a temporary stop to it.
The idea of the Three Monkeys moving into a vacant Rocklin storefront is unpopular with parents like Stephanie Mills because of what's close by.
"I really don't like the idea. I mean, I have two small kids and there's a lot of schools—literally walking distance, there's four schools," she said.
The shop would be 800 feet from Breen Elementary, Rocklin High and Victory Continuing Education, and about 2,100 feet from Granite Oaks Middle School.
"It's no different than a liquor store, something strange like that, that just opens up right next to your school you're just not gonna be okay with it," said parent Jeanette Anderson.
And in part, because so many parents aren't OK with it, Rocklin's city manager drew up an ordinance calling for a 45-day moratorium that would ban any tobacco shop from opening near schools. The report concludes the shop could present a "clear and present danger to the immediate preservation of public health, safety, and welfare of our community."
Anthony Hirani, the man behind Three Monkeys, says he already has a few locations in the Sacramento Valley. His Rocklin shop would be different, with only tobacco, e-cigarettes and cigars would be sold to people 18 and over.
"I just want my right to do business like everyone else. I am going by the law," he said. "The store sells tobacco. Arco, Walgreens, everybody sells tobacco and cigarettes. That's what I am selling. They don't sell premium cigars but I have the license to sell cigars. Everything is legal."
But it seems, there's no selling parents like Amanda Quarry on a smoke shop steps away from schools.
"None of this was here when I was in high school. My kids have a whole lot of options, and I don't want that to be one of them," she said.
