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STAFF REPORT To: City Council Report No.: IXz Michael Mornson, City Manager From: Kim Moore-Sykes,Assistant City Manager Date: March 7, 2006 Subject: Smoking Bans in City Parks and Open Spaces As discussed at the 2006 Goal Setting Retreat, the following is information Staff found with regard to cities banning tobacco from parks and recreation areas. Tobacco-Free Park&Recreational Study (TFPRS) findings (tfyr(aansrmn.org): U of M 2004 survey found that 70% of Minnesota adults from the Metro and greater Minnesota support tobacco-free parks and recreation areas. The survey also found the 28% of smokers that responded support tobacco-free policies in parks. In communities where tobacco-free park policies have been adopted, 88% of surveyed park directors and board members reported their community's willingness to adopt a policy; 88%also reported no change in park usage as the result of adopting a tobacco-free policy; 71%reported less smoking in parks; 58% reported cleaner park areas; and 25%reported having compliance issues. What Cities Are Adopting to Make Their Parks Tobacco-Free: Out of the 800 Minnesota cities, 68 cities (23 of which are Metro area cities) and two counties have adopted some form of smoking ban for their parks and recreational spaces. Most of the cities simply put a policy together and used one with similar layout and language. Three cities used a resolution and two adopted ordinance language. The ordinances state that anyone caught violating the ordinance will be charged with a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor (cities of Bloomington and Eden Prairie). The penalties for some cities with policies or resolutions will be immediate removal and for one city a $100 fine and expulsion is included; others simply request voluntary compliance. In speaking with the Public Works Director and the Police Chief, smoking in the parks isn't a problem that they deal with much. Both agreed that the biggest problem for their departments is vandalism to the park shelters. Smoking Ban in the Parks 032006 STAFF REPORT.doc