CLEARLAKE — The Clearlake City Council Thursday discussed the idea of a smoking ban in city parks.
The item is to be brought back before the council at its next regular meeting with a cost analysis, statistics related to the city of Lakeport”s similar ban and recommendations from the police and public works departments.
The item was presented at the request of Vice Mayor Jeri Spittler, who provided a PowerPoint presentation developed by the Lake County Tobacco Coalition (LCTC).
Spittler argued statistics show that 83 percent of Californians are non-smokers and 88 percent of Californians support smoke-free playgrounds.
According to information in Spittler”s presentation, cigarette filters take 10 to 20 years to decompose and account for one-third of the litter found in parks and waterways. Spittler said that there is a “disconnection” with smokers who don”t believe that tossing their cigarette butts is littering.
Spittler said filters are carried by wind and rain into waterways where they leach toxic chemicals that threaten the quality of water and the creatures that live in it.
She added that cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds and other animals that mistake them for food. The 165 toxic chemicals that leach from a cigarette”s cellulose filter and remnant tobacco are bio-hazardous, she said.
According to the LCTC report, 109 cities and towns in California have passed smoke-free parks ordinances, as of January 2009.
Mayor Joey Luiz and Councilwoman Joyce Overton supported developing an ordinance. Councilwoman Judy Thein said while she is a non-smoker and member of the LCTC, she did not think it was a good time for the city to put another “un-enforceable” ordinance on the books.
“I don”t think this is the right time for us to this. We don”t have the manpower or the resources to enforce it,” she said. “We are already unable to enforce some of the ordinances we have now. One more ordinance like this is going to compound the police department even more.”
Thein voiced concern for potential costs associated with establishing an ordinance such as legal fees and staff time. She said any available funding should be directed toward code enforcement first and foremost.
Spittler indicated that there would be little cost associated with creating an ordinance and that signage would be provided through the LCTC. She said the ordinance would be more of an encouragement effort rather than enforcement endeavor.
Overton agreed, saying, “I”m a smoker but when I see a sign that says ”no smoking,” it”s a reminder.”
Luiz said the police department would likely spend little time trying to enforce the ordinance, comparing it to a complaint such as jaywalking. He added that an ordinance prohibiting smoking in the park could provide the police department with an extra tool to deal with certain situations that arise in city parks.
Councilman Curt Giambruno was absent from the meeting.
