SAN BRUNO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
February 27, 2024
Public Comment
From: Marty Medina <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2024 9:34 AM
To: Paradise Hookah Lounge <[email protected]> Cc: City Manager <[email protected]>; Ryan Johansen <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Attention: Councilman Marty Medina
Good morning Mazahreh,
Thank you for your email.
I have cc’d the city manager’s office, Police Chief, and city clerk in my reply.
If you wish to have your comment posted in the public record and forwarded to the council please request through the city clerk.
I look forward to hearing from you at the council meeting.
Sincerely,
Marty
Marty Medina
San Bruno Councilman
District 4
650-580-3445
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On Feb 26, 2024, at 9:14 AM, Paradise Hookah Lounge <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Councilman Medina,
I am writing in regard to the possibility of the City of San Bruno adopting the San Mateo county ordinance pertaining to flavored tobacco.
My name is Alam Mazahreh and I am the owner of Paradise Hookah Lounge on San Mateo Ave. in San Bruno. I am a husband and father of four young boys. I have been the owner for the past 10 years and since taking over in 2014, my family and I have made tremendous improvements within this establishment. We have made Paradise not only a highlight for San Bruno nightlife but an ideal location for business people and young adults to enjoy during the daytime. We offer free coffee, tea and WiFi to our guests and our business has become an ideal location for business meeting’s or a sit in cafe as a quiet work area. The atmosphere in our lounge has been attracting customers from the airport due to our prime location so close to SFO. We have truly poured our hearts into making Paradise a vital part of the Avenue.
During Covid our business, just like many others, suffered greatly. Due to temporary county ordinances, we were forced to be closed for a year and then on and off for the following year. We pushed through those hard times and invested everything we had financially to keep our doors open. We followed every guideline that was placed to ensure that our business kept its integrity during a world wide pandemic.
Shortly after the pandemic, when we resumed back to regular business, a new county ordinance was passed in regards to vapes and electric cigarettes. We complied with this ordinance, as our business is mainly focused on Hookah tobacco and products. We recognize the counties efforts in trying to eliminate the sales of tobacco to under age minors. We completely agree that this is an ongoing issue that must be tackled. With that being said, we would like the council to know that we pride ourselves on honoring and following the legal age limit for tobacco sales and usage within our Lounge. We have a zero tolerance policy for the entry and sales to minors within our business.
If San Bruno would elect to follow the San Mateo county ordinance in regard to flavored tobacco, it would surely close our doors permanently. Over the last decade we have kept our licenses up to date as well a kept our sales strictly to what our licenses cover. Meaning that we don’t sell anything under the table. We respect the city in business terms as much as we respect it as our home. Since most of the businesses on the Avenue are closed during our hours of operation, we keep a close eye for any danger or threats to the city of San Bruno. We are in constant contact with the San Bruno Police Department, making sure that we report any suspicious activity that we see during the late hours. We believe that our eyes on the Avenue have helped in reducing the amount of theft and violence that had been occurring often. San Bruno has become a safe place for businesses and its residents and we are grateful to our police officers.
As the council discusses the possibility of adopting this new county ordinance we strongly urge you to look at the benefits of keeping our business doors open. We bring so much more than just flavored tobacco to the city. We have become a home too many customers who we consider as family. We have built strong bonds with our neighboring businesses and support each other in every way we can. Most important of all we have built a business that people can come and enjoy in a safe and respectable environment. We hope that the council can take all of our points into consideration. We are looking forward to the town meeting as we will be present there to listen and discuss this matter.
Thank you for your time.
Alam Mazahreh
Owner of Paradise Hookah Lounge
Sent from my iPhone
Bay Area Division
426 17th St, Ste. 300, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone (510) 903-4050 Fax (510) 903-4049
www.heart.org
Dear Mayor and Council Members:
The American Heart Association supports the proposal to adopt San Mateo County’s Model Tobacco Retail License Ordinance to prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the City of San Bruno without exemption and implement regular compliance standards. This proposed policy will reduce access to the products that are the tobacco industry’s key strategy for targeting and addicting new smokers, San Bruno’s youth.
The tobacco industry is actively and aggressively working to addict new young people, particularly those from communities of color, with flavored tobacco products. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, claiming on average 480,000 lives each year. Evidence shows that smoking increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. It increases the risk for blood clots, decreases the ability to exercise, and decreases the good cholesterol in our bodies. The best way to prevent tobacco-related illness and death is to prevent people from starting to smoke in the first place.
Adopting the County’s policy will help protect our community from tobacco addiction and is crucial to preventing tobacco-related death and disease. The American Heart Association respectfully asks for your support of this vital health policy.
Sincerely,
Dr. John Maa, Board Member
Bay Area Division, American Heart Association
February 27th, 2024
San Bruno City Council
567 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066