Are You in Favor of More Smoking Restrictions in San Ramon?

The City of San Ramon is reaching out to the community to see how they feel about putting more restriction on smoking in the city.

On Open San Ramon, the city's online forum, they have asked residents what they think about a restricted smoking ordinance the City Council is expected to consider next year.

San Ramon already has an ordinance, passed in 1999, that greatly restricts indoor smoking. The new ordinance would put significant restrictions on outside smoking, to lower the risk of second-hand smoke.

For example, smoking won't be allowed in public parks or at community events.

The ordinance itself doesn't explicitly say where smoking is banned. Instead, it states where smoking would still be allowed. So, since the ordinance doesn't state that smoking in public parks is allowed, therefore it is banned.

If the ordinance is passed, these are the places smoking would still be allowed in San Ramon:

1. Smoking inside a single family dwelling unit which is not licensed as a family day care facility and in the yard of such unit so long as any outside smoking is not within 25’ from any entrance, exit, operable window or air intake of a neighboring single family dwelling unit.
2. Smoking inside a multi-family housing unit and in an unenclosed area designated for smoking by the owner or person/entity in control of the property but not on patios or balconies accessed from an individual unit or in common areas open to public access or to unrestricted common areas such as hallways.  The unenclosed designated smoking area must be at least 25’ from any individual unit and at least 25’ from unenclosed areas used by children or for physical activity such as swimming or tennis.  It must have a clearly marked perimeter and be identified by conspicuous signs.
3. Smoking inside a personal vehicle not used for hire such as a taxi but only when there are no minors in the vehicle.
4. Smoking on public sidewalks at locations not adjacent to a public or private park or school and not within 25’ from any entrance, exit, operable window or air intake opening of any building used for residential or commercial purposes.
5. Smoking in privately owned unenclosed parking lots open to the public but not within 50’ of any commercial building served by the parking lot or within 25’ of buildings on adjacent properties.
6. Smoking in workplace designated smoking areas but only to the extent preempted by and allowed under State law (California Labor Code section 6404.5).
7. Smoking in privately owned enclosed facilities at private social events not open to the public such as wedding receptions but only to the extent allowed by the owner or person/entity in control of the property or facility and only in designated smoking areas conforming to the standards set forth in section 6404.5 of the California Labor Code.
8. Smoking in designated rooms rented to guests in hotels and motels so long as the number of such rooms does not exceed 25% of the total rooms in the hotel or motel.
9. Smoking on any outdoor area of golf courses but not within 25’ from any entrance, exit, operable window or air intake opening of the clubhouse or other building utilized by golfers, visitors or guests of the golf course.
10. An Owner or person/entity in control of a property or facility for which an exemption is available under this section nonetheless may prohibit smoking on the property or in the facility for any reason.

Would you be in favor of these smoking restrictions in San Ramon? Let us know why or why not in the comments section.

You can also comment on the city website here.

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