City seeks smoking ban at parks
Von buycigarettes, 13:13
Citizens who enjoy a smoke in between innings at a Greer park may soon be out of luck. Greer has taken the first steps to banning tobacco use in city parks and within 25 feet of a city-owned recreation or park facility.
After a nearly hour-long debate, the ordinance passed its first reading 4-2. Council members Wayne Griffin, Kimberly Bookert, Judy Albert and Mayor Rick Danner voted for it, while Councilmen Jay Arrowood and Lee Dumas voted against. Councilman Wyley Bettis was absent.
Much of the debate centered on private property rights and setting an example for the children who use Greer’s parks. Arrowood is concerned about private property rights — that this ordinance would open the door for prohibiting tobacco use in other places, such as restaurants and other privately owned establishments.
“It’s going to be an assault on private businesses,” he said. “It’s going to be on assault on private property owners. I don’t believe in that.” Griffin, who noted he was a former smoker, said it doesn’t make sense to allow smoking in a place that emphasizes exercise. “You’re setting an example. … Children are watching,” he said. “They’re watching what you do.”
The question of whether to allow smoking in cars while in the park parking lots was asked. City Administrator Ed Driggers said there was “not an intent nor a directive that we’re going on knocking on windows that have smoke in them.” Arrowood said the ordinance would cost the city about $5,000 in signage alone. He questioned whether the ban was needed.
“We already have a policy in place. We don’t have a public outcry about it. Our director of parks and recreation said they’ve had no issues with this,” Arrowood said. “So we’re going to create an ordinance for a problem that doesn’t really exist.” The city has a departmental policy that is “pretty standard throughout the state in comparison with other agencies where we have designated smoking areas that are substantially far away from any play with children or adults,” said Ann Cunningham, Parks and Recreation director.
