Politics & Government

City to Tighten Anti-Smoking Laws

City Council plans to tackle a resolution this year that would ban smoking in all city parks, including the Depot Plaza, as well as at all public events and within 20 feet of service lines and the entrances of public buildings.

Having received an F for  in the American Lung Association's annual State of Tobacco Control Report, city of Mill Valley officials are now ready to step up the city's anti-smoking laws to match those of a number of Marin cities as well as the county.

At its July 2 meeting, the Mill Valley City Council directed city staff to bring a multi-faceted resolution forward that would ban smoking in all city parks, including the , as well as at all public events and within 20 feet of service lines and the entrances of public buildings. The park ban would include a 20 foot buffer.

“That may make a big portion of downtown a smoke-free zone,” Mayor Garry Lion said.

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City officials leaned heavily on the county's Tobacco-Related Disease Control Program, and particularly Bob Curry, who heads it. The city's approach will mirror that of the county in that it will target so-called "low-hanging fruit," leaving for later more controversial laws like smoking bans in at least 80 percent of apartments in multi-unit buildings, according to city officials.

“Nothing we do is about the smoker – it’s about everybody else who has a right to clean air,” Curry said.

Find out what's happening in Mill Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sometime later this year, the City Council will consider a resolution that would include:

  • A ban on smoking in any place where food and/or drink offered for sale, including outdoor areas of restaurants and bars;
  • A ban on smoking at a minimum of 20 feet from any entrance, opening or exit of any enclosed area, including windows;
  • A ban on smoking within any park located in the City of Mill Valley on City property;
  • Prohibition on smoking within a minimum of 20 feet of: Service lines (ATMs, ticket lines, bus stops, transit shelters, and cab stands; Working road, building and construction crews; Recreational areas (playgrounds, sporting facilities, children's play areas, and rinks);
  • A ban on smoking at all public events including but not limited to, sports events, entertainment, speaking performances, ceremonies, pageants, parades, fairs and farmer's markets;
  • Prohibition on smoking in any vehicles, buses, taxicabs, and other means of public transit under the authority of the City of Mill Valley;
  • A ban on the disposal of smoking waste or tobacco product waste within the boundaries of an area in which smoking is prohibited;
  • A permanent designation of a minimum of 80 percent of guest rooms in every hotel and motel and bed-and-breakfast facilities as completely nonsmoking;
  • A tobacco retailer's license provision that will require retail licensing for tobacco sales, and gives cities leverage to penalize vendors who continue to illegally sell tobacco products to minors.

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