By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green’s city parks will be smoke-free starting in 2019. The decision to do so was one vote shy of unanimous by City Council.
Council member Bruce Jeffers was the sole vote opposing the smoke-free ordinance.
While Jeffers supports the existing ban against smoking inside park buildings, he believes the expansion of the ban to all park property is going too far.
It’s “reasonable” for people to be able to smoke in parking lots at the parks, Jeffers said.
“If a person chooses to smoke there, in my view they are not really bothering anybody,” he said.
But council member Sandy Rowland said the smoking ban is appropriate for all park property.
“There are children outside playing. Those children are inhaling the smoke,” Rowland said.
Rowland, who serves as city council’s representative to the parks and recreation board, said the decision to expand the smoking ban was the right one.
“I laud the park board for making this decision of what’s best,” she said. “We know we’re doing what’s right.”
After all, Rowland said, the parks department supports healthy lifestyles.
“The parks promote health. It’s a brave move,” she said.
Council member John Zanfardino asked if the vote for the smoking ban by the park board was unanimous. Rowland confirmed it was unanimous.
Council member Mark Hollenbaugh asked if smoking in a car on park property would be a finable offense. City Attorney Mike Marsh replied that he did not believe it would be.
When it came up for the vote, Jeffers was the only council member to vote against the ordinance.
The smoking ban will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2019. Kristin Otley, parks and recreation director, said most park visitors obey with the current ordinance.
“Most people have been accommodating,” she said.
Otley said the parks department will post signs explaining that smoking will not be allowed anywhere on park property.
After the council meeting, Bowling Green Police Chief Tony Hetrick said his officers will start out by just issuing warnings during a “grace period” while people become acquainted with the change. After a certain period, citations will be issued.
“You don’t want to be heavy-handed, but you want to send a message,” Hetrick said.
The city has long banned smoking in park buildings. Then in 2007, the policy was taken a step further.
“At that point the staff was very concerned about smoking near our programs and around our younger users,” Otley said earlier this fall. In order to keep smoking away from ballparks, playgrounds, and shelter houses, the park board banned smoking in all areas except parking lots.
In 2015, vaping was included in the smoking restrictions.
Earlier this fall, the park board voted to ban smoking anywhere in the parks, starting in 2019. Park staff had noticed an uptick in cigarette butts being tossed in the parks.
“We can make sure people using our facilities are in a healthy environment,” Otley said.
Park board president Jeff Crawford agreed.
“It fits with what we stand for as parks and recreation,” Crawford said at a park board meeting.
As they debated the ordinance, the only concern expressed by the park board members was the possible loss of rental revenue from people using park facilities. But the board agreed that the loss of a couple rental fees was worth the effort to provide clean air to park patrons.
“If we’re a trend setter in that area, I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” Otley said.
Mayor Dick Edwards commended the board for taking steps to completely ban smoking in city parks.
“Given what we’re all about with the parks, it makes really good sense from my perspective,” Edwards said earlier this fall.
