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Council tables proposed expansion of smoke‑free perimeter around city buildings; plans workshop
Summary
Councilors voted to table a proposal to extend the no‑smoking perimeter at city facilities from 10 feet to 20 feet and to consider additional site‑specific restrictions; a one‑month workshop was requested to refine scope and enforcement details.
An ordinance introduced by Council President Belinski, Dr. Cora and Councilman Coulter to prohibit smoking within 20 feet of public entrances to municipal buildings was tabled Oct. 7 after councilors asked for more time to refine the proposal and consider targeted site exceptions.
The authors said staff and employees had requested the change because secondhand smoke sometimes drifts into office windows and common entrances; proponents noted that higher smoking rates in the county increase the likelihood of exposure. Councilman Coulter said he originally had sought a broader restriction on city property but planned to propose a narrower list of specific city-owned sites where smoking would be prohibited and to link the change to employee cessation resources.
After discussion the council voted unanimously to table the ordinance for one month and to schedule a workshop, which Councilman Coulter volunteered to convene. Councilmembers said a workshop would allow staff to compile a list of buildings, discuss enforcement mechanisms, and consider offering cessation resources for employees.
Why it matters: Changes to smoking policy affect employee health and the public’s experience of city facilities, and they require clear enforcement provisions and designated boundaries.
What’s next: A workshop will be scheduled to draft site‑specific language and to consider enforcement and cessation support; the ordinance will return to the council after that work is complete.
