Title
Receive an oral presentation to consider adopting an ordinance to modify County Code Chapter 10.70 that would prohibit smoking in publicly accessible areas of county parks except for designated smoking areas.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors Health and Human Services Committee: Receive an oral presentation to consider adopting an ordinance to modify County Code Chapter 10.70 that would prohibit smoking in publicly accessible areas of county parks except for designated smoking areas.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
To improve the health and quality of life in Monterey County smoking should be prohibited in publicly accessible areas of Monterey County Parks, excluding designated smoking areas such as some campgrounds and/or parking lots. Allowing smoking in county parks increases exposure of secondhand smoke and cigarette litter to the public, wildlife, and the environment. Smoking also increases the risk of fire in our parks and surrounding areas.
Consider adopting an ordinance to modify County Code Chapter 10.70 (Smoking Pollution Control Ordinance) that would prohibit smoking in all publicly accessible areas of Monterey County Parks (Manzanita Park, Royal Oaks Park, Toro Park, Jack's Peak, Laguna Seca, San Lorenzo Park, Lake San Antonio, and Lake Nacimiento) except for designated smoking areas. Designated smoking areas will include: Royal Oaks and Toro Park parking lots; Laguna Seca parking lots, campgrounds, and racetrack area; San Lorenzo Park, San Antonio Lake, and Lake Nacimiento parking lots and campgrounds. Manzanita Park and Jack's Peak Park will be 100% smoke-free and will not have any designated smoking areas.
The public's health is being compromised by secondhand smoke. The California Air Resources Board and U.S. Surgeon General have both deemed there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, even ranking it in the same category as the most toxic automotive and industrial air pollutants.
A costly effe...
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