ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to move forward with a proposal that would prohibit new tobacco and vape shops from opening within 1,000 feet of public or private schools.
Commissioners unanimously directed county zoning staff to begin drafting an ordinance establishing the restrictions. The proposal will return to the board for a future vote.
Commissioner Nicole Wilson first raised the issue in February after hearing concerns from parents at Olympia High School about a vape shop located in a shopping plaza next to the school.
Under current Orange County zoning rules, vape shops are classified as general commercial businesses and are permitted in commercial districts.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit new tobacco businesses from opening within 1,000 feet of a public or private school. It would also prevent new tobacco shops from locating within 1,000 feet of another tobacco shop.
“We’ve already done it, so we know we can do it again,” Wilson said during the discussion, referencing existing county regulations that prohibit the sale or consumption of alcohol within 1,000 feet of schools.
Commissioners also discussed whether to expand the buffer to include day care centers and after-school programs but ultimately decided to limit the proposal to schools for now.
County zoning staff said existing tobacco and vape shops located within the proposed buffer would be grandfathered in and would not be required to close if the ordinance is approved.
The proposal would define a tobacco business as one that devotes 20% or more of its floor area to the sale of nicotine or tobacco products. It would also create a specific zoning classification for those businesses.
Wilson said that although retailers are required to verify customers’ ages before selling nicotine products, they believe the visibility and marketing of those products can still influence teenagers.
The discussion took place during a work session. County zoning staff will incorporate the commissioners’ feedback into a draft ordinance before bringing it back to the board for consideration.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
