Augusta's draft zoning code would keep new vape, tobacco, kratom and hemp shops 1,200 feet from schools, parks, day cares and each other. Updated November 2026.
New vape, tobacco, kratom and hemp shops in Augusta would have to stay at least 1,200 feet from schools, parks, day cares, hospitals and each other under the city’s draft zoning code.
The rule is in section 4.4.51 of the Oct. 23 draft of the new zoning ordinance, which the city posted on its zoning rewrite page. The same text was in the Oct. 14 draft the Planning Commission reviewed. Nothing in the rewrite is final. The Augusta Commission has the last vote, and it has not set a date.
Where a new shop could not open
A new shop would need to be at least 1,200 feet, a little under a quarter mile, from any lot that has:
- another tobacco, vape, kratom or hemp shop
- a day care or preschool
- a public or private school, kindergarten through 12th grade
- a public park or playground
- a substance-abuse treatment center
- a hospital, inpatient care center, nursing home or convalescent home
The draft measures the distance to the lot, not to the building. The rule applies to a “new” shop. The draft does not say how it would treat a shop that is already open.
Which stores count
The rule covers stores that give at least 200 square feet of floor space to tobacco, nicotine products, vapor products, kratom or consumable hemp. A general store that uses less space than that for those products is not classed as a tobacco, vape, kratom or hemp retailer.
Every store in the category would also need:
- a zoning compliance permit from the city
- every license the state of Georgia requires for the products it sells
The draft also defines a “vapor bar or vapor lounge,” a place where customers can use vape products on site. It defines the term but does not set separate rules for it in this section.
Corner stores
The draft creates a new “corner store” use for small shops at neighborhood intersections. It bars corner stores from selling:
- alcohol and tobacco, unless the sale is a sideline to an allowed use
- hemp, CBD and cannabis products
- vaping products made from anything other than tobacco
What the current rules say
The city’s current zoning ordinance, the November 2019 version, lists “tobacco shops” as an allowed use in some districts. It sets no minimum distance for them. It does not mention vape products, kratom or hemp.
What it means for you
- If you plan to open a vape or smoke shop, check the distance to the nearest school, park and day care before you sign a lease. If the draft passes as written, a site closer than 1,200 feet would not qualify.
- If you own a store with a small tobacco or vape counter, the 200-square-foot line matters. Under it, the separation rule would not apply to you.
- If you want to comment, contact Planning and Development at 535 Telfair St., Suite 300, or call 706-821-1796. The city’s online survey on the rewrite closed Sunday, Nov. 1.
- Read our overview of the zoning rewrite, our story on the short-term rental rules cut from the latest draft and our building permits and zoning guide.
We will update this story when the city posts the Planning Commission’s recommendation or a date for the Augusta Commission’s vote.
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