Santa Clarita to Look Again at Smoking Ban

City Council members are expected to clear the air tonight about a proposed smoking ban adopted five months ago but then snuffed out before taking effect.

As approved in December, the ordinance prohibited smoking in restaurants, workplaces and enclosed public areas. Banks, shopping malls, restaurants and retail stores all were covered, but bars with less than one-fourth of their income from food sales were exempted.

Violators were to face fines of $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense and $250 for a third offense, although Santa Clarita officials hadn’t predicted stringent enforcement.

The council backed away from the broad ban when it appeared for a second reading in January and 200 residents attended the meeting. Supporters said the ordinance dealt with a health issue and should be passed, while opponents said personal freedoms were at stake and merchants should be able to set the rules for their own businesses.

Council members called for additional public hearings to discuss the issue, and will hear the results of those sessions tonight.

Most residents favor no-smoking regulations at their job, but are less supportive of such restrictions in eating establishments, said Michael Murphy, Santa Clarita intergovernmental relations officer who has handled the smoking issue for the city.

“In the public hearings that we held, there seemed to be enough support there to move ahead with all provisions of the ordinance except in respect to restaurants and bars,” Murphy said.

The council is expected to discuss how much to restrict smoking in restaurants and bars--anywhere from a total ban to no restrictions at all--but otherwise leave the earlier ordinance and its restrictions on the workplace as first approved.

If the wording of the ordinance is decided upon tonight, it will appear for first reading May 24 and could take effect by mid-July.