Ketchum, Idaho leaders reject cigar lounge code amendments

[JohnS]

Ketchum may or may not be familiar to you. If it is, it's probably only because you're aware that Ernest Hemingway returned from Cuba in the late 50s and settled there prior to his passing in mid-1961. It's a small place, maybe only 3500 people. Perhaps this explains the outcome of the article below?

Ketchum leaders reject cigar lounge code amendments

Dozens of residents wrote in opposition to the proposal

By JAY WESTCOTT, Express Staff Writer - Apr 23, 2025

Ketchum City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission members listen to a February presentation about the city’s comprehensive plan revision. - Express photo by Roland Lane

The Ketchum City Council voted 3-1 this month to deny a request to amend city code to facilitate the development of a cigar lounge downtown.

Sun Valley Cigar sought approval of a set of amendments, including removing a cap on the amount of seating allowed in a retail tobacco shop, which would have helped it open a cigar lounge at 491 Washington Ave.

Ketchum code prohibits smoking in enclosed public places, but exempts “exclusive retail tobacconists” from that prohibition.

However, city code prohibits seating for more than four people at a retail tobacco shop. The Health and Safety section of the code defines an exclusive retail tobacconist as a business that “derives more than 95 percent of sales from tobacco and tobacco products sold on the premises for consumption off the premises and which the sale, manufacture, or promotion of other products is merely incidental.”

The proprietors sought to change the language of the code to require merely a majority of sales to be derived from tobacco and tobacco products sold for off-premises consumption, and to allow more than four people inside the establishment at a time.

The proposed cigar lounge generated a wave of negative feedback among Ketchum residents. The City Council received over 30 emails from Ketchum residents stating their disapproval of the lounge and none in support. Several residents spoke out at the hearing.

Susan Scovell, Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency and Ketchum Fire District board member, called the proposed ordinance “discouraging and disappointing.”

“We all know that cancer is associated with smoking,” Scovell said.

Jennifer Wells-Green, executive director of the Sun Valley Museum of Art—located across the street from the proposed lounge—said changing the code to allow for the lounge would set a bad precedent.

“We see over 4,000 school children a year. We have family programs, Family Fridays, we do a block party,” she said. “I thought Ketchum really wanted to be a healthy city. I believe in new businesses, I just don’t believe this is the right place.”

Ketchum resident Matthew White spoke out in favor of the cigar lounge and the ordinance, stating that changing the language to require only a majority of sales rather than 95% derived from tobacco would not suddenly allow bars and restaurants to allow smoking.

Based on an annual revenue of $500,000, White said, “If [a bar] were to permit smoking ... the bar would still have to sell 50,000 packs of cigarettes annually to be able to allow smoking in the bar. That’s 137 packs a day, nine an hour.”

Ketchum resident Perry Boyle said passing the ordinance changes would be “bad governance.”

“Cigar bars are not the spirit of Ketchum,” Boyle said.

Councilwoman Amanda Breen said she didn’t want to use her position “to weaken public health laws.”

In response to a comment by Ketchum resident Kingsley Murphy, discussion arose about adding tobacco businesses as a conditional use in the Community Core zone in order to provide more opportunities for input from nearby business owners.

“When I try and think about a specific type of business that most definitely should go through a CUP public process, I do think of a business like this one,” Councilman Tripp Hutchinson said.

However, Councilwoman Courtney Hamilton responded that to do that correctly, the city would need an overhaul of both the health and safety and zoning codes.

“I don’t think that’s a valid use of staff time that I’m willing to prioritize right now,” Hamilton said.

Councilman Spencer Cordovano moved to approve the third reading of the ordinance to amend city code. No council member seconded his motion.

Hamilton then moved to deny the third reading of the ordinance and Breen seconded the motion. Cordovano voted no while Hutchinson, Breen and Hamilton voted yes and the third reading was denied.

In an interview after the meeting, Ketchum city spokesman Daniel Hansen said the cigar lounge could still open for business but would be limited to seating four customers. Hansen said the proprietors will be able to renew their effort to propose code changes when the city undertakes a revision of the entire code following passage of its new comprehensive plan, “but that’s definitely years out.”

Source: https://www.mtexpress.com/news/ketchum/ketchum-leaders-reject-cigar-lounge-code-amendments/article_fd6a2c97-85a8-4854-a63f-cc0774a278be.html

[Lucas Buck]

Heavily Mormon population - very anti smoking

[BrightonCorgi]

At least the City Council's virtue has been self-validated.

[El Hoze]

I have been to Ketchum/Sun Valley a few times, have a good buddy who lives there. I will just say I am not at all surprised. 

[Ford2112]

Sounds like a real happening place!

[MrBirdman]

Yeah don’t underestimate the anti-tobacco/anti-alcohol bias of conservative Christians. Outdoor smoking was actually banned in many rural communities at the beginning of the 20th century during the first big religious revival. It was seen as sinful behavior and the difficulty quitting was seen as evidence of the devil at work. These communities were probably in the minority though - the biggest concern was alcohol.

Then the boys came back from the First World War with smokes in hand, and cigarettes quickly became more acceptable (for men, at least; the taboo against women smoking would persist for another decade or two). 

[Chibearsv]

3 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

Sounds like a real happening place!

No kidding, but the townies are what they are. Maybe it’s not too late for the investors to turn it to a sugar-free vegan gluten-free bakery instead. 😜