SANTA PAULA : Council Delays Vote on Smoking Ban
The Santa Paula City Council voted Monday to postpone a vote on smoking restrictions in public places.
The council tabled a suggestion by the Ventura County Smoking Action Coalition that would have added restaurants, health-care facilities and theaters to a list of public buildings where smoking is restricted. The ordinance, if passed, also would reinforce the resolution the council adopted in 1987, which established its smoking control policy for city-owned buildings.
Councilman Les Maland said he wanted a survey of how restaurants handle mixing smokers and nonsmokers in common areas. On his suggestion, the council postponed a decision until it receives the results of the survey to be conducted by the city clerk.
Councilman Alfonso Urias said his preference would be for business owners to voluntarily restrict smoking, rather than making compliance mandatory. Offering nonsmoking sections is a “good policy to follow,” Urias said.
Santa Paula and Fillmore are the only cities in the county without ordinances regulating smoking in public places.
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