Council approves banning beach smoking

Dave Brooks

A controversial new smoking ban will be enforced through

informational signs and literature, Huntington Beach Police Chief Ken

Small said Tuesday after the City Council approved the ban.

In a 5-1 decision, the council gave final approval to a law

prohibiting smoking on 3 1/2 miles of city-owned beaches.

Councilman Gil Coerper introduced the initiative, which he said

had been brought to him by residents hoping to reduce litter and

exposure to second-hand smoke.

Several Southern California cities, including San Clemente, Los

Angeles, Santa Monica, Malibu and Oceanside, have passed city beach

smoking bans in recent months.

Councilwoman Debbie Cook voted against the ordinance, calling it

“unenforceable.” Councilwoman Pam Julien Houchen, who had come out

against the ban in the past, was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

The new law will be effective in 30 days, and Small said he will

begin an education campaign with the Community Services Department to

inform beach visitors of the new rules.

“It should be pretty low-key,” he said.

Lifeguards will not be enforcing the ban, he said, and in most

cases, people will be warned before receiving a ticket for violating

the ordinance.

Solana Beach gained national attention in October when it became

the first city in the continental U.S. to ban smoking on public

beaches. Solana Beach Marine Safety Capt. Greg Miller said his

lifeguards have “not encountered any problems enforcing the

ordinance” and said “the publicity surrounding it has helped us much

more than any signs we have posted.”

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Suzuki has helped enforce a new

smoking ban in Los Angeles County and said its implementation near

the beaches of Malibu is going well.

“Most everyone has complied with the ordinance when we contact

them,” he said. “It’s new, so we’re not going to jump in and cite

everyone we see.”

Suzuki said the ordinance was manageable but hadn’t yet led to any

major visible improvements at the beach.

Miller said he hadn’t seen a notable difference in Solana Beach

either, but added that “the beach experience here has always been

good.”