City ponders smoking ban

CITY HALL — Burbank may soon join the ranks of cities like Calabasas and Santa Monica that prohibit smoking in all public places.

At the request of several Burbank residents, the council has city staffers researching municipal smoking ordinances that were already passed in other cities. Their findings will be presented at an upcoming meeting, where council members will decide whether to pursue a similar ordinance in Burbank, City Atty. Dennis Barlow said.

The push to outlaw smoking in public places stems from a desire to promote a clean and healthy environment in the city, said Burbank resident Eric Michael Cap, who advocated a smoking ban at the Oct. 24 council meeting.

"I'm a parent and we spend a lot of time in the downtown area," Cap said. "We also spend time in the city parks and going to the city events. And often those activities are being ruined."

Cap told the council about a time he took his family to a summer concert series event in the downtown area. He became concerned when people started to light up in close proximity to the concert goers, he said.

"Not just are there a lot of children there, but there's a lot of elderly people who are quite sensitive to smoking," he said.

Since the council indicated a willingness to discuss a possible smoking-ban ordinance, many residents have spoken up in favor of the idea, Mayor Todd Campbell said.

"I've received a tremendous amount of support through voicemails as well as e-mails, where people are very excited about this even being considered," he said. "It took me by surprise. I expected more negativity, but I think people are more health-conscious and aware that environmental tobacco smoke is a health risk."

But resident David Piroli think the ban is ridiculous and say that if the council wants to make the downtown area more attractive for families, banning smoking is only part of the problem.

"If the goal is to make the downtown family-friendly, we need to be banning alcohol as well from the businesses," he said. "What is family-friendly about almost every patio down there having alcohol visible to the kids as they walk by?"

Other opponents of the ban argue that limits on smoking infringe upon personal rights — a position that Campbell said does not ultimately hold up.

"I would argue that it is a right to be protected from something that has been identified by the California Scientific Review Panel as a toxic air contaminant," he said. "We need to find a nice balance here."

The issue will not appear on the council's agenda for at least two weeks, City Manager Mike Flad said.

QUESTION

Do you think the City Council should enact a smoking ban in all public spaces? E-mail your responses to burbankleader @latimes.com; mail them to the Burbank Leader, 111 W. Wilson Ave., Glendale, CA, 91203. Please spell your name and include your address and phone number for verification purposes only.