Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-163

Definitions

In Force
Verified 10/12/2026 · Next check 11/11/2026
SyracuseSmoking & Cannabis

Operative Text

Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-163
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Adult-use cannabis retail dispensary shall mean a premises licensed under the New York State Cannabis Law for the retail sale of cannabis products to cannabis consumers.
Adult-use on-site cannabis consumption establishment shall mean a premises licensed under the New York State Cannabis Law for the on-site consumption of cannabis products by cannabis consumers.
Bar shall mean one or more of the following: (1)
A building or portion thereof where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises;
(2) A building or portion thereof operated for profit or pecuniary gain or as a place of assembly where alcoholic beverages are provided by the operator of the premises, his or her agents, servants or employees, or are brought onto said premises by persons assembling there.
Business and businesses shall mean a bar, food store, drugstore, restaurant, adult-use on-site cannabis consumption establishment, adult-use cannabis retail dispensary, cannabinoid hemp retailer, or smoking establishment as defined herein.
Cannabis consumer shall have the meaning prescribed in Article 7-A of the Consolidated Laws of the state of New York, the Cannabis Law.
Cannabinoid hemp shall have the meaning prescribed in Article 7-A of the Consolidated Laws of the state of New York, the Cannabis Law.
Cannabinoid hemp retailer means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, or any business entity or institution of higher education, by whatever name designated and whether or not incorporated, licensed or permitted under the New York State Cannabis Law to sell at retail cannabinoid hemp or hemp extract to consumers.
Cannabis product shall have the meaning prescribed in Article 7-A of the Consolidated Laws of the state of New York, the Cannabis Law.
Drugstore shall mean a building or portion thereof where prescription drugs are sold at retail, together with dry goods, food or beverages.
Food store means a building or portion thereof with a total floor space less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet which is devoted, in whole or part, to the sale of dry goods and food and beverages to be consumed off the premises.
Hemp extract shall have the meaning prescribed in Article 7-A of the Consolidated Laws of the state of New York, the Cannabis Law.
Owner means and includes the owner or owners of the freehold of the premises or lesser estate therein who appears as the owner of record with the Onondaga County Clerk's Office, as well as any person, agent, firm, entity or corporation having any legal or equitable interest in the property at the time a notice, order or other document is issued by the division of code enforcement.
Proprietor means an owner and/or operator or future owner and/or operator of the business specified on a particular certificate of use for a particular business location.
Premises shall mean the building in which the business is located, as well as accessory structures and uses, including parking lots, and the land on which the building is located.
Restaurant shall mean a building or portion thereof where food is sold to be consumed on or off the premises. This definition shall not include a building or portion thereof where a non-alcoholic beverage or snack is available but is incidental to the conduct of the business at the premises or a college or university's dining halls.
Retail sale shall have the meaning prescribed in Article 7-A of the Consolidated Laws of the state of New York, the Cannabis Law.
Smoking establishment shall mean a building or portion thereof where tobacco products and paraphernalia, which includes but shall not be limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, Kreteks (clove cigarettes), hookahs, and Shisha, are used and/or consumed on the premises.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 27-163 of Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 12 establishes the official definitions that govern the rest of Article 12. Terms such as "bar," "restaurant," "food store," "smoking establishment," and newly recognized cannabis-related businesses are each given precise meanings that determine which establishments fall under the article's scope. These definitions set the boundaries for how the article's requirements apply — if a business fits one of these definitions, it is subject to whatever rules Article 12 imposes on that category.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 27-163, the category into which a business falls — bar, restaurant, food store, smoking establishment, adult-use cannabis retail dispensary, or another defined type — determines which Article 12 obligations apply to that location. Property owners and managers generally confirm that the use of their premises matches the correct defined category before obtaining or renewing a certificate of use, since the definition of "proprietor" in this section extends to future owners and operators as well. Owners of record with the Onondaga County Clerk's Office are specifically identified as responsible parties when the division of code enforcement issues notices or orders.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 27-163 is a definitions provision, so it does not directly create tenant rights or obligations, but it does establish which types of businesses and premises are covered by Article 12's broader rules. Tenants or occupants of spaces connected to a covered business — such as those sharing a building with a bar, restaurant, or cannabis establishment — may find these definitions relevant when determining whether a particular location is subject to the article's requirements. Tenant-rights organizations or local housing resources can help individuals understand how Article 12's definitions interact with any specific protections or restrictions that follow in the article.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

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Related Rules

§ 78B-6a-405
Limitations on tobacco and drug nuisance actions.

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