The lion’s share of the Feb. 11 Santa Clara Planning Commission meeting was devoted to an appeal of the city’s denial of a zoning clearance for a smoke shop at 770 Kiely Blvd. The facts are simple: the applicant opened and has been operating a smoke paraphernalia shop without a use permit — for eight months, according to neighboring business owner Wasu Pile — in an area that doesn’t allow smoke shops.
This should have been cut-and-dry, but the applicant’s very limited English and, apparently, equally limited understanding of city rules for opening businesses turned the appeal into nearly two hours of confusing discussion, all of which had to be translated.
In May 2025, Xiangquong Wu submitted a business tax certificate application for a smoke shop at 770 Kiely Blvd., zoned Mixed-Use Neighborhood Commercial. Since 2024, smoke shops haven’t been permitted, and the planning department notified Wu of that, but suggested she apply for a convenience store with ancillary tobacco sales…