OXNARD : City Asked to Study Smoking Ordinance

The Oxnard City Council on Tuesday ordered a review of the city’s smoking ordinance to determine whether it needs to be beefed up in the wake of concerns over secondhand smoke.

At the request of Mayor Manuel Lopez, council members unanimously agreed to ask city staff members to study the issue and bring back a report next month.

“There are five cities that have recently upgraded their smoking ordinances and the county has likewise upgraded its ordinance,” Lopez said. “I would like to request that we schedule a study session to review our ordinance.”

Five cities in the county have approved tough new regulations since July, when Moorpark prohibited smoking in restaurants, public buildings and in the workplace.

Last week, the Camarillo City Council approved an ordinance that would bar smoking in all public areas except bars and some hotel rooms. The council must approve the ordinance at a second reading for it to become law.

Oxnard’s existing ordinance, approved in 1988, gives employers the right to decide whether to allow smoking in the workplace. It prohibits smoking in office restrooms, lounges and reception areas but does not regulate smoking in restaurants, stores and other establishments.

Lopez said he raised the issue after residents continued to express concerns about the danger of secondhand smoke.

“I want to compare it to the other cities and see if we need to take any further action,” he said.