Sandusky bans smoking in all city parks

SANDUSKY — Sandusky officials stomped out smoking in all city-owned parks, piers, plazas and pathways.During Monday's meeting, and by a 5-2 vote, commissioners enacted a ban on anyone consuming tobacco — via cigarettes, cigars, vaping, or electronic cigarettes, and the like — on these grounds.A second vote, mainly a formality for legal purposes, should occur at the next scheduled commission meeting, 5 p.m. April 23 at City Hall, 222 Meigs St. Residents can speak about the issue, for or against, during a public forum section.Another affirmative vote means the legislation becomes a law May 23, or 30 days after April 23.Going forward from there, anyone found in violation— at, for instance, Lions Park, Jackson Street Pier, Schade-Mylander Plaza or the Sandusky Bay Pathway — could face a low-level misdemeanor.The legislation supersedes an existing law approved two years ago: Wherever there's a playground or play area in a city park, nobody can smoke within a 25-foot radius of it.Nikki Lloyd, who first proposed the initial law in 2016, also sponsored and advocated for the newest law. She brought up the amendment two weeks ago."We have basically had a two-year experiment with the smoking ban in and around all of our city playground equipment, and I feel it has been well received. Talking to parents, they are very happy," Lloyd said. "The only disappointment that I have heard over the last couple of years is that our residents did not think we went far enough."She called Monday's meeting a positive day in Sandusky."This is not about the rights of being able to smoke or not smoke," she said. "This is about the city of Sandusky, staff and commission making sure we provide a clean, safe and healthy atmosphere for our community to enjoy.Among the commissioners supporting her decision: Dick Brady, Naomi Twine, Dave Waddington and ex officio mayor Dennis Murray Jr."Extending the smoking ban in the parks is a natural extension of us trying to provide the right example for our youth and a healthier environment in the city," Murray said. "We are trying to do that in a lot of different ways: by opening up public spaces, encouraging recreational activities and making it safe to walk on streets."The legislations two detractors, Greg Lockhart and Wes Poole, believed the law would infringe upon people's liberties."I voted against it because, I believe that, all taxpayers should have access to the park to use it as they choose, within reason, as long as it's not impinging upon others," Poole said. "I don't think the case has been made that people who smoke in the park are negatively impacting other people who are not smoking in the park."Sandusky's no-smoking situation• The law: Sandusky city commissioners voted to ban anyone from smoking, vaping or consuming tobacco products in all city parks, piers, plazas and properties.• The locations: This would apply to all parks, such as Lions Park; piers, such as Jackson Street Pier; plazas, such as Schade-Mylander Plaza; and pathways, such as the Sandusky Bay Pathway.• The time frame: The law should go into effect May 23.• The penalty: Anyone found in violation could face a minor misdemeanor.Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.More than a dozen kids play at the playground at Shoreline Park in this June 10, 2016 photo. During Monday's public meeting, Sandusky city commissioners approved a ban of smoking in all city parks, piers and green spaces.