Raleigh city councilors delayed voting on banning smoking in city parks Tuesday because of unanswered questions over costs for “no smoking” signs and how to enforce the ban. Councilors also wondered whether the ban should include downtown parks such as Moore Square and if parks should have areas where smoking would be allowed.<\/p>\n
Questions over banning smoking in parks came up in 2007, but the state legislature only gave cities the power to make the rules a year ago. The question originally came up as an issue over cigarette litter but has morphed into a debate over the rights of non-smokers to not have to breathe in tobacco smoke.<\/p>\n
When councilors heard the proposal this week, it did not include cost estimates to put \u201cno smoking\u201d signs on all city parks and greenways.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we\u2019re looking at a huge expense here, we need to know the facts,\u201d said councilor Thomas Crowder.<\/p>\n
Mayor Charles Meeker said the cost would be made up by requiring less litter collection costs to pick up cigarette butts.<\/p>\n
Councilor John Odom countered Meeker\u2019s assertion that cutting down on cigarette butts would cut litter pickup costs. \u201cWe will still be cleaning up litter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Odom also echoed Crowder\u2019s concern, \u201cThe cost is going to be extremely high and this is going to be tough to enforce.\u201d<\/p>\n
City staff will bring cost estimates back to the council in two weeks.<\/p>\n
The tricky issue will be enforcement. The proposal from the Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board says that the first line of enforcement will be park staff giving people warnings and asking them not to smoke. If people continue to smoke, city attorney Tom McCormick said park employees could call the police to issue a misdemeanor citation.<\/p>\n
Crowder called the proposal an \u201cenforcement nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Meeker said he though smokers would \u201cself enforce\u201d the ban. \u201cSmokers are respectful people and will follow the rules,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Buncombe County and the City of Asheville already have similar policies in place.<\/p>\n
New park fees<\/strong><\/p>\n Council approved a new set of fees for Raleigh parks. Read the full list at the bottom of this report, but here are some of the highlights:<\/p>\n\n