Kinston City Council approves vape shop rules, demolition funding and tool shed program
Kinston City Council approved new zoning rules for tobacco, vape, hemp and CBD retailers Tuesday, while also moving forward with demolition funding, traffic signal upgrades, several special event permits and an employee wellness incentive increase.
The meeting included citizen comments on opioid settlement spending, demolition funding, public safety and community resources. Council also recognized Boy Scout Troop 41 from Gordon Street Christian Church and heard a presentation on the city’s new Tool Shed Program, which will allow eligible Kinston residents to borrow lawn care and basic maintenance tools at no cost.
Planning Director Elizabeth Blount said the Tool Shed Program is intended to help residents who may not have access to lawn care equipment maintain their properties and avoid nuisance or weed abatement issues. The program will operate like a lending library, with residents able to check out equipment for short-term use. Lowe’s Home Improvement donated equipment for the program, including lawn mowers, weed eaters/string trimmers, rakes, shovels, additional lawn care tools and a storage shed.
Blount said during the meeting that the program is scheduled to launch June 1. Residents must register, show proof of Kinston residency and sign required forms. The program will operate Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, with loans limited to three days.
Council then held a public hearing on a text amendment regulating tobacco, vape, hemp, CBD and similar retail establishments. Blount said the city previously identified more than 20 such shops inside the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction. She also referenced a March 2026 Kinston Police operation involving 26 tobacco and vape stores, eight homes, four arrests and the seizure of $2.3 million in cash, nearly 110 pounds of THC and nearly 8 pounds of khat.
The approved amendment creates definitions for tobacco, vape, hemp, CBD and similar establishments; updates rules for convenience stores, refueling stations and automobile service stations; and sets separation requirements for new tobacco-related retailers. Under the ordinance, those businesses may not be located within 500 feet of a residential zoning district or within 2,000 feet of schools, day cares, youth facilities, community centers, city recreational facilities, parks, religious institutions, libraries and several other listed uses. They also may not be within 2,000 feet of another similar establishment.
Existing businesses may continue under the city’s nonconformity rules, but Blount said they cannot expand or grow beyond their current footprint. “What we can do is put parameters and we can use zoning regulations in place to have those separation distances, to put them in specific zoning districts, but we cannot ban outright land uses,” Blount said during the meeting.
Public comments during the hearing focused on concern over the number of vape shops in Kinston and their proximity to neighborhoods, schools and churches. Quarla Blackwell questioned past planning and permitting decisions and asked for more records about the Planning Board. Another resident said the number of vape stores has become a problem for neighborhoods and young people.
Council approved the amendment after a motion stating that the change is consistent with the city’s comprehensive land use plan.
Council also approved a fiscal year 2025-26 operating budget amendment tied to demolition work, downtown lighting and replacement of a solid waste vehicle. The amendment includes $200,000 for the city’s share of a joint Corridor Aesthetic Improvement and Demolition Program with Lenoir County. The overall corridor program is estimated at $400,000, with the city and county each paying half and the county taking the lead role in administering it.
The same budget amendment includes $300,000 for a citywide demolition and cleanup project focused on previously condemned structures and other properties cited for code violations inside the city limits but outside the corridor project areas. The project is expected to run for about two years and is funded through anticipated additional investment earnings in the General Fund.
The amendment also includes a $5,000 Electricities Smart Communities Grant awarded on behalf of Downtown Kinston Revitalization for pedestrian string lights downtown, and about $211,000 in insurance proceeds for replacement of a 2024 rear loader used for residential solid waste. The rear loader was deemed a total loss after a January accident during a snow event.
Council separately approved an ordinance establishing the FY26 Citywide Demolition and Cleanup Capital Project Fund. The project budget includes $300,000 in revenue from a General Fund transfer and $300,000 in building demolition expenditures.
During discussion of demolition, council members and staff addressed questions about whether properties could be rehabilitated instead of demolished. City Attorney James Cauley said the condemnation process requires notice to property owners. If heirs or owners cannot be located, the city may use publication notice. Once demolition costs are incurred, the city automatically receives a lien on the property by law.
Council then approved a bid award to Fulcher Electric for traffic signal cabinet replacements at four intersections. Public Services staff said Kinston maintains and controls traffic signals at 15 intersections and needs to upgrade the cabinets to meet N.C. Department of Transportation standards. Staff originally planned to upgrade five cabinets, but said higher parts and labor costs reduced the current phase to four.
Justin Boyette said the city sought quotes from other companies, but they declined to bid. Fulcher Electric is DOT-approved and can install and program the needed wiring and components, he said. The total cost, including state sales tax, is $143,727.75, which is below the amount budgeted for the work.
Council also approved four special event permits.
The Block & Roll Downtown Music Series was approved for four dates: May 21, June 4, June 18 and July 3, from 5 to 10 p.m. each night. The concert and festival series will be held on Heritage Street between Gordon and North streets. The applicant agreed to hire two off-duty police officers, and approval was contingent on the city receiving an insurance certificate naming the city before the first event.
Council approved a Good Health Awareness for the Community event, sponsored by Deeper Life Bible Church, for May 23 from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Grainger Stadium parking lot. The event is open to the public and will include food, portable restrooms and trash cans. Police will conduct foot patrols, and no alcohol will be served.
Council approved the Juneteenth Food Truck Festival & Pop-up Shop for June 20 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the park at Southeast. The event will include food trucks and vendors. Police will be present, EMS will be called if needed, and portable toilets will be provided.
Council also approved the Medicaid Made Simple Community Care Market. The transcript shows the item passed without council questions, but the available excerpt does not include the full event details.
Human Resources representative Tiffany Smith presented a proposed increase to the city’s employee wellness incentive program. Smith said full-time employees enrolled in the city’s health insurance plan can currently earn up to 480 wellness points, equal to $480, by participating in activities such as biometric screenings and dental cleanings. Human Resources plans to increase the maximum by $300, bringing the total to $780 per participating employee.
Smith said the increase is intended to offset the annual cost of employee-only health insurance premiums while supporting employee health, recruitment and retention. The change is scheduled to take effect Nov. 1, with the financial impact reflected in the FY 2027-28 budget.
During citizen comments earlier in the meeting, Blackwell asked the city to push Lenoir County for a plan to spend opioid settlement funds in Kinston. Tonya Sutton questioned the use of public money for demolition and said some properties could be rehabbed instead of torn down. Another resident asked whether Kinston has enough police officers and requested more patrols in housing developments. Sean Bailey of Neuse Enterprises invited the public to a summer kickoff event at 3800 Commerce Drive.
Council approved the agenda after adding a closed session for personnel and attorney-client matters to be held after the regular meeting. No report was given by the city manager or city attorney before council moved toward closing remarks and closed session.
