TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Section 8.68.066 and Subsection 8.68.120.C relating to smoking prohibited in City parks and other recreation areas, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On July 6, 2010, the City Council requested that the City Manager work with the Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission) to develop a recommendation for prohibiting smoking in parks of a particular size and smaller, and provide the recommendation to the City Attorney to draft an ordinance.
The Commission discussed this item at its meetings held on July 22, August 19, and September 16. At its meeting held on September 16, the Commission adopted a motion by a unanimous vote to recommend to the City Attorney that smoking be banned in all parks in Long Beach, with golf courses subject to a separate study. The Commission reviewed data provided by the City of Long Beach, Department of Health and Human Services’ Tobacco Education Program, including statistics on health dangers from smoking, and the fact that currently, over 140 cities and counties in California have implemented a complete or partial ban of smoking in their parks (Attachment). The Commission also received input from groups and individuals supporting a ban, and discussed concerns about personal freedoms and the potential
negative impacts such a ban could cause to the tourism industry in Long Beach. The Commission’s final decision was that encouraging proper health practices and protection of the public are part of the mission of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, and therefore, it would be appropriate to ban smoking in all City parks, regardless of size.
The Commission does not control how the City of Long Beach (City) conducts its golf operation. However, the Commission has recommended that further study be done on the feasibility of a smoking ban on the City’s five municipal golf courses. American Golf Corporation, which...
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