Politics & Government
Smoking Banned in Palo Alto City Parks
In a 7-1 vote, the city council decides to prohibit smoking in all 4,500 acres of parkland.
With an overwhelming majority, the Palo Alto City Council banned smoking in all city parks Monday night, the Mercury News reports.
The 7-1 vote expanded the city staff original recommendation to approve a ban in 24 parks, all under 5 acres, and not all 38 citywide. Councilman Pat Burt dissented and Councilwoman Karen Holman was not in attendance.
Enforcement would be easier with this new and expanded ban, opined City Manager James Keene. The ordinance would go into effect in 60 days, by the middle of July.
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The council also voted to increase the no-smoking buffer zone near public building entrances from 20 to 25 feet.
The smoking ban in parks was based, in part, on complaints from the community about smoking, litter and fire safety in "urban parks such as Lytton Plaza and Cogswell Plaza," the staff report said.
Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
It pointed out that similar ordinances banning smoking in city parks already existed Campbell, Cupertino, Mountain View, Saratoga, and Los Gatos.
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