Bellflower Seeks to Void Smoking Ban

Bellflower, the city with the toughest no-smoking ordinance in Southern California, is on the verge of becoming a city with no smoking controls at all.

A divided City Council took the first step Monday toward repealing a 1991 ordinance that bans smoking in restaurants and in most buildings to which the public has access. In a 3-2 vote, the council tentatively approved repeal, with final action expected on May 11. The measure would take effect 30 days later.

The action drew applause from restaurant owners who have long contended that the smoking ban harms their businesses and residents who said government should not tell them how to live.

But two Bellflower restaurants plan to remain smoke-free and a third is leaning in that direction. “It smells like food in here and not cigarettes,” said Mike Ryan, manager of Marino’s, an Italian restaurant that will continue to bar smoking.

The Sizzler plans to follow suit. “It’s good for our employees. They don’t have to walk through the smoke,” said owner Richard Asmus.

Steve White, owner of gourmet restaurant Magdalena’s, said he hasn’t made a decision but is leaning toward remaining smoke-free. “Customers can enjoy good food and not deal with cigarette smoke,” he said.

Newly elected council members Ruth Gilson and Ken Cleveland led the move to repeal the ban, arguing that the ordinance prevents business owners from setting their own smoking policies and infringes on the rights of smokers.

But Councilman Bob Stone, who was the catalyst for the smoking ban, called repeal “a sad day” for Bellflower, a city of nearly 62,000 in southeast Los Angeles County that grabbed the limelight when it passed the smoking ban over stiff opposition from restaurant and business interests.

“History will show this has been a health issue all along, that secondhand smoke is detrimental to all of our health and that in segregated areas in restaurants it knows no bounds,” Stone said.

Although the smoking ban was enacted by unanimous council vote in January, 1991, two council members soon tried to back away from a total ban. The original ordinance excluded bars, tobacco stores, private offices, residences and places of worship.

The stage for change was set April 14 with the election of Gilson and Cleveland, who made modifying the ordinance a campaign issue. In the same contest, voters rejected incumbent Randy Bomgaars, a staunch supporter of the smoking ban.

The outright repeal came as a surprise because Gilson and Cleveland had said they would support a division of public areas into 80% nonsmoking and 20% smoking. Gilson said after the vote that she changed her mind because supporters of the ordinance seemed to want a ban or nothing. Cleveland said he preferred repeal but didn’t think the votes were there before Monday.

Despite saying that he favored some control over restaurant smoking, Mayor John Ansdell cast the third vote needed for repeal.