Michigan City council workshop debates citywide smoke-free ordinance, opts to draft compromise

Michigan City council members, park officials, public-health advocates and residents spent a workshop session debating whether to extend smoke-free rules beyond building doorways to all city-owned grounds, beaches and parks.

Councilmember Greg, who presented a new draft that he said "removes smoking from all city property," framed the meeting as a search for compromise between an 8-foot buffer and broader outdoor limits. He said the goal is to protect employees and create family-friendly public spaces while avoiding criminal penalties for addiction.

Supporters cited health and fiscal data. Greg pointed to county- and state-level numbers on tobacco-related illness and said LaPorte County has a high adult smoking rate; a health advocate representing the Indiana Department of Health was asked to provide the calculation method for an estimate Greg cited that secondhand smoke imposes about $36,400,000 in local economic burden annually. "I can give you that calculation in a few seconds," the health representative said.

Park officials urged caution. Shannon Neeson, park superintendent, told the council parks already follow state statutes for buildings and warned a citywide outdoor ban could push revenue away: "If you make golf course smoke free, I think...that revenue is upwards of $80,000 a year just in outings alone. Our golfing revenue is at $1,300,000." Neeson recommended the park board continue to govern its properties and cautioned that policing smoking across more than 700 park acres would be impractical.

Event staff echoed enforcement concerns. Terry Greath, director of special events, said festivals such as Oktoberfest and the Sand Festival present large crowds and extensive clean-up needs and that ticketing or active policing at those events would be difficult.

Several residents argued the council should not regulate personal behavior outdoors. One commenter told the council, "This cigarette proposal, it's war," urging officials to focus on other neighborhood problems. Another warned that municipal ordinances may not cover outdoor spaces and said that listing outdoor smoking in the city's "public place" chapter could trigger legal challenges.

Supporters countered that signage and social norms have worked elsewhere. Speakers pointed to South Bend and St. Joseph County parks, which they said rely mostly on posted rules and peer enforcement. Public-health advocates also argued ordinances can reduce smoking rates; Sandy Contias cited an area example where smoking prevalence fell from roughly 25% to 16% after local policies were enacted.

Several councilmembers proposed narrower, phased options. Don Perbolinski, who sponsored an earlier indoor-smoking ordinance, recommended starting by strengthening smoke-free rules for city employees and buildings (keeping an 8-foot or 20-foot buffer) and offering cessation resources rather than mandatory training. The sponsor said he would consider limited "smoking sections"—small, clearly marked areas with ashtrays—to reduce litter while preserving family-designated beach areas for nonsmokers.

Legal preemption and cost questions were also raised. One attendee noted the city's public-place definition (cited in discussion as chapter 7.1512-2) may not cover outdoor spaces and warned the council could face a state-law challenge if it attempted a broader outdoor ban.

Outcome and next steps: the workshop concluded with no vote. The chair said staff will consult the city attorney and return a draft ordinance that considers the compromises discussed, including options to exempt certain park uses or create designated smoking sections. The council did not schedule a final vote at the workshop.