Greece, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

Section 95-3 requires every smoke shop, vape shop and tobacco retailer in Greece to obtain a special use permit and site plan approval under the Town Code, and that permit is not transferable: a new owner or operator must file a fresh application. Section 95-4 confines these uses to the General Business (BG), Restricted Business (BR) and Dewey Avenue Mixed Use (DMU) Districts, and layers on distance rules: no more than one such use per lot, none within 1,000 feet of another permitted smoke shop, vape shop or tobacco retailer, none within 1,000 feet of a school, playground, child-care facility, library, place of worship, municipal park or similar place where children gather, and none within 1,000 feet of any residentially zoned lot.

Shops operating before the chapter's effective date can keep running as preexisting nonconforming uses under § 95-5, but only if they get a certificate of conformity from the Building Inspector, stay compliant with Chapter 94 (Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia), and agree in writing to follow Chapter 95; that certificate expires automatically on any change of ownership or operator, and expansion of the footprint is barred. Section 95-6 separately bans admitting unaccompanied minors, requires posted age-restriction signage, and bans exterior attention-getting devices like LED signs and flashing lights. The Police Department, Building Inspector and Zoning Board of Appeals share enforcement under § 95-8.