CAMARILLO : Group Seeks to Fight City’s Smoking Ban

A group of smokers’ rights advocates opposed to Camarillo’s recently adopted smoking ordinance is preparing to distribute petitions seeking to place the new law before city voters during November’s municipal election.

According to Pat Johnson, owner of Lil’ Bit O’ Country on Daily Drive and a spokeswoman for the group, the petition forms were being finished at a local printing company Wednesday. She said they should be ready for the group by Friday.

“We are ready to go with this,” Johnson said. “We feel this is a personal-rights issue and that the City Council far overstepped its authority in passing this ordinance. We’re hoping to start the drive this Friday.”

At its meeting last Wednesday, the council voted 3 to 2 to approve the ordinance, which largely bans smoking in restaurants and public places.

Camarillo City Clerk Marilyn Thiel said the group must collect at least 2,937 signatures, or 10% of the city’s registered voters to place a referendum on the ballot. If the group is successful, the City Council would first have 30 days to rescind the ordinance.

Thiel said the group has until May 27 to collect the required number of signatures. Otherwise, the council’s ordinance will become law on that date.