The proposal lists parking lots, bleachers, playgrounds and adjoining sidewalks among the prohibited locations.
It was introduced, 5-0, by the council at its 7:30 p.m. meeting in the municipal building, where a receptacle for discarding cigarette butts is located near the front entrance.
Efforts to restrict outdoor smoking are underway in at least one other Morris County municipality. In Chatham, a proposed ban on smoking in parks and recreation areas would stipulate $100 fines for violators – with offenders under age 19 facing a possible alternate punishment of community services.
The Denville proposal specifies, as prohibited items, cigars, cigarettes, pipes, “or any other matter or substance which contains tobacco.”First-time offenders would face a fine of up to $100, or up to two days of community service. Second time offenders would face up to a $250 fine or five days of community service.Anyone caught smoking for a third time in a park or recreation area would face up to a $500 fine or community service of at least 10 days, “or any combination of fine, imprisonment and community service determined by the municipal court,” according to the ordinance.
***SNIP***
Municipal clerk Donna Costello scheduled a second reading, which would include a public hearing and likely council vote, for July 13.
Rob Jennings: (973) 428-6667; robjennings@gannett.com
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Seeing Red
I am seeing red at the moment. I cannot believe what is going on in this country. Some people ask me from time to time: "What's with you and the cigarette issue?"
THIS is what's up with me and the "cigarette" issue:
Proposed ordinance in Denville targets smokers in outdoor public spaces
"Violators of a proposed smoking ban in parks and recreation areas would face a fine or community service and — in the case of a three-time offender – risk going to jail under a municipal ordinance introduced Tuesday night."
Risk going to JAIL(!)? Seriously? In our America? Are the people that are instituting such laws secret members of the Taliban and we just don't know it yet?
Never in my life have I ever felt so strongly about the need to "trim" the size of our government.