Cities Join to form Smoke-free Beach Zone

By Blair Clarkson
Staff Writer

April 27-- With the City Council's likely adoption of a controversial smoking ban on second reading Tuesday night, Santa Monica will become part of a 13-mile stretch of smoke-free beaches from Manhattan Beach to Malibu.

Last Friday, the LA City Council unanimously approved a similar ordinance
to prohibit smoking on Venice, Cabrillo, Dockweiler and Will Rogers beaches. The measure still requires final approval from Mayor James K. Hahn.

"I was really pleased to see their vote," said Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom. "It was part of our strategy all along to do both communities at approximately the same time in order to cut as wide a swath as possible across our beaches, and to have a consistent policy."

Santa Monica's new law will prohibit all forms of smoking on the beach, at bus stops and other public waiting areas, and within 20 feet of all doors and windows of public buildings.

Yet in what some felt was a concession to concerned business owners, the law
will limit smoking on the pier to designated areas.

The Council is awaiting review from City staff and the Pier Restoration Corporation before it designs and locates the designated sites.

Once adopted, the smoking ban will take effect in 30 days. However, the Council amended the law to allow for a 90-day grace period during which violators will be warned rather than cited if they extinguish their cigarette.

Following the grace period, those caught lighting up in banned areas will be issued a $250 fine.

The decision to coordinate the City's smoking ban with LA County helps to silence the argument that banning smoking only in Santa Monica will hurt the city's businesses, Bloom said.