Politics & Government
City Hall Readies Rollout of Anti-Smoking Laws
At a City Council meeting Monday night, City Manager Jim McCann said that the city planned to host an informational meeting on Aug. 21 in advance of the council's consideration of a host of anti-smoking changes on Sept. 4.
Mill Valley City Manager Jim McCann told the Mill Valley City Council Monday night that the city plans to pursue a new smoking ordinance.
The new regulations, which would tighten up existing restrictions and add some new ones, would affect about a dozen businesses, according to McCann. First up is an informational meeting on August 21 at 1:00 p.m to educate the public about the changes. The council will take up the poposed changes at its regular meeting on Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.
City officials are looking to create anti-smoking laws that are more aligned with other cities in Marin. Mill Valley, having received an F for in the American Lung Association's annual State of Tobacco Control Report, looks to improve its standing in the Marin anti-smoking arena.
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At the Sept. 4 meeting, the City Council will consider an amendment 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.