Laguna Beach : Ordinance to Regulate Smoking Goes to Council

An ordinance that would regulate smoking in public places, including workplaces, for the first time in Orange County will go before the City Council Tuesday.

The council, none of whose members smoke, has held public meetings on the proposal and will consider adopting the plan.

The ordinance would require employers to prohibit smoking in portions of workplaces. It also would restrict smoking in restaurants with a capacity of 50 or more and would prohibit smoking in retail store lines. However, smoking would be allowed in the rest of the store.

If the ordinance is adopted, Laguna Beach will become the first city in Orange County to regulate smoking citywide.

Westminster regulates smoking in city-owned buildings and the county has a similar restriction in county-owned buildings and other health facilities in unincorporated areas.

Laguna Beach’s proposal is patterned after ordinances in several other cities around the state that regulate smoking in private businesses, banks and other public places.