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Councilmember proposes updating Cypress smoking rules; Clean Air OC says residents favor smoke‑free public places
Summary
Councilmember Chang asked staff to explore updated smoking restrictions for parks, school buffers and outdoor dining; Clean Air OC presented survey data and urged the council to pursue model ordinances and education.
CYPRESS CITY — Councilmember Chang asked the council to add consideration of updated smoking restrictions to the city’s strategic planning workshop, and a Clean Air OC representative urged the council to pursue smoke‑free policies for parks, parking lots and areas near schools.
At the council meeting, Councilmember Chang said county and national organizations have model language and that Cypress’s municipal code is out of date in places. “Secondhand smoke is a proven health hazard, increasing the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and asthma, especially for children, seniors and those with existing health conditions,” Chang said, and asked staff and the city attorney to review best practices and model ordinances for possible inclusion in the city’s strategic plan.
Later in the meeting, Connery Nickerson of the Clean Air OC Coalition described observational data collected in Cypress and a public opinion survey the group has been conducting. “We have collected almost 110 public opinion surveys from the community … 90% of the people in Cypress are more likely to visit public places that do not allow smoking,” Nickerson said, and urged the council to work with public‑health partners to implement educational programs and policy changes.
Councilmember Chang suggested working with the Orange County Health Care Agency and forwarding the Public Health Law Center/American Lung Association model ordinance to the city manager and city attorney for review. The city manager indicated staff would circulate the model ordinance to council and coordinate with the city attorney for next steps.
No ordinance was adopted at Tuesday’s meeting. The item was presented as a suggested inclusion for the council’s upcoming strategic planning workshop; councilmembers discussed next steps including staff review, attorney analysis and public outreach. Several councilmembers said they supported staff study of the issue and the county’s model language before deciding whether to pursue a local ordinance.
Ending: Councilmember Chang asked staff to work with the city attorney to review model ordinances and return with options for workshop discussion; public‑health partners signaled readiness to assist on education and outreach.
