HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 NonsmokingParks&Smoke-FreeEvents
19v ~ffi AGENDA STATEMENT
~Z, PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMIVIISSION
MEETING DATE: Septernber 15, 2008
SUBJECT: Nonsmoking Pazks and Smoke-free Events
Report Prepared by Roger Bradley,l4dministrative Analyst
ATTACHMENT5: 1) Pictorial Impact of 100-Foot Ban at Emerald Gien Park •
2} Pictorial Impact of 100-Foot Ban at Ted Fairfield Park
3) Pictorial Impact of 100-Foot Ban at Stagecoach Park
RECOMIWENDATION: Provide recommendations to Council regarding the proposed
smoking prohibition within City parks and at City Events.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION: At the City Council Meeting on December 18, 2007, the City
Council directed Staff to research and present recommendations for augmenting the City's Smoking
Pollution Control policies and regulations. As part of this direction, StafFwas to present recommendations
for an increase in the reasonable distance footage within City parks to 100 feet from azeas in which people
congregate. Specifically, Staff was directed to analyze the Ordinance passed by the Livezmore Area
Recreation and Park District as a model for a possible City Ordinance. In addition, Staff was directed by
Council to research creating a smoke-free City events ordinance. At the City Council Meeting on July 15,
2008, the City Council directed Staff to prepare a DraB Ordinance addressing these issues for Council's
consideration. Before presenting a Draft Ordinance to the City Council, feedback from the Parks &
Community Services Commission about these two Ordinance proposals is requested.
Current Law
Smoking is prohibited in children's play azeas and smoking is prohibited within a minimum of 25 feet
from a playground or a tot lot sandbox area.
I00 footProhibitian within Parks
The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) has passed the following Ordinance for its
pazks:
"Smoking or the disposing of any tobacco related waste is prohibited inside all
LARPD managed buildings and swiznming pool areas. Smoking is also prohibited
within 100 feet of public entrances/eacits to these facilities, and 100 feet from park
COPIES TO:~y
ITEM NO.: 8.1
G:\PCSCOMM\AGNDSTMTIMASI'ER2006\.doc
playgrounds as well as outdoor youth-related events held on I.A.RPD managed
faciliries or including events sponsored by LARPD."
In deriving the areas around which a 100-foot prohibition would appiy, Staff compiled tlie following list
of park areas for consideration:
• Children's play areas;
• Playgrounds;
• Swimming pool areas;
• Recreational traiLs and paths;
• Walkways within parks;
• Sports fields and courts;
• Youth related events;
• Skate parks; and
• Picnic areas.
If all the above areas listed above are included, the effect may be similaz, if not equal, to a complete
smoking prohibition for the City's smaller to medium sized parks. For example, the play area may be
within 100 feet of the sports court, which is within 100 feet of a trail, and so on until the whole park has a
complete ban on smoking. This would be especially true if walkways are included in the prohibition.
Thus, Council considered placing the 100-foot prohibition on children's play areas, playgrounds,
s•uimming pool azeas, sports fields and courts, skate parks, and picnic areas only.
The three Attachments included show the impact of applying the Staff recommendation at a neighborhood
, square (Stagecoach Park), a neighborhood park (Ted Fairfield Park), and a community park (Emerald
Glen Park) within the City. By applyang the play area prohibirion alone, Stagecoach Park will be a smoke
free park. Ted Fairfield will have minimal space available to accommodate smokers. The open space area
to the north of the baseball field may be used from time to time as a sports field, rendering the park smoke
free during these times, but when it is not being used as such, this wil] be an area to which smokers may
go. Emerald Glen on the other hand is large enough to accommodate smokers being 100 feet from the
areas prohibited.
Nonsmoking Parks
As a result of the 100 foot application impact in Neighborhood Parks and Neighborhood Squares, the City
Council directed Staff to prepare a Draft Ordinance that wouid prohibit smoking in totality at these
locations, and to apply the 100-foot prohibition only at the City's Community Parks, which include
Emerald Glen Park, Fallon Sports Park, Dublin Swim Center, Dublin Heritage Center, Dougherty Hills
Dog Park, Dublin Sports Grounds, and Shannon Park.
Smoke Free City Events
In addition to the above, Staff was directed by Council to present recommendations for a prohibition of
smoking at City events. The prohibition would be placed upon any events pianned, coordinated, and/or
' financed by the City of Dublin, which are held upon City owned property. This would affect events such
as Day on the Glen and Saint Patrick's Day Festival, but would exclude events such as the Golf
Tournament as it is not held on City property. Indoor events would be subject to other sections of the
Dublin Municipal Code. As part of the Ordinance Amendment, smoking areas may be designated at City
events. Such areas would have to be clearly marked and be located the greatest distance practicable from
areas of high pedestrian traffic and from parking areas but may be no closer than 25 feet from them.
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RECODOIENDATION: Staff recommends that the Parks. and Community Services
Commission provide recommendations to Council regarding the proposed smoking prohibition within
City Parks and at CiTy Events.
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