TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Manager to work with the Parks and Recreation Commission to develop a recommendation for prohibiting smoking in parks of a particular size and smaller, and provide the recommendation to the City Attorney for drafting of an ordinance no later than 60 days.
DISCUSSION
Existing California Health & Safety Code (Section 104495) states, "No person shall smoke a cigarette, cigar, or other tobacco-related product within 25 feet of any playground or tot lot sandbox area." Our own City Municipal Code (Section 8.68.065) states, "Smoking shall be prohibited on all sand areas and adjacent water areas of city beaches, the beach bike path and beach launch ramps, with the exception of designated outdoor dining areas or permitted beach concessions and permitted activities, including, but not limited to filming and/or special events."
However, the City of Long Beach has several small and pocket sized parks without playgrounds or tot lot sandboxes that make it very difficult, if not impossible, for a visitor (adult or child) to enjoy without being negatively impacted by another visitor who chooses to smoke. In these cases, it behooves the City to consider whether to prohibit smoking in smaller spaces where visitors cannot separate themselves by distance within the park. Our Tobacco Education Program and Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine staff have worked on prior initiatives involving playgrounds, so we would expect similar collaboration in response to this request.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT GARCIA
FIRST DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER SUJA LOWENTHAL
SECOND DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER GARY DELONG
THIRD DISTRICT