Winter Park to become latest city to ban smoking and vaping at parks
The state lifted a law last year that prohibited local governments from making their own rules when it comes to smoking
Nov. 3, 2023
By Beth Kassab
In recent years cities and counties have become accustomed to the Florida Legislature taking away local authority on everything from gun safety to policies on climate change and rent control.
The slew of pre-emption statues out of Tallahassee prohibit local governments from crafting their own solutions to a number of issues that included, until recently, bans on smoking and vaping in public parks.
In 2022, the Legislature repealed that pre-emption and Winter Park is poised to become the latest city to enact its own ban as a result.
The City Commission will on Wednesday consider a new ordinance to ban smoking and vaping in public parks, beaches and recreation facilities.
The purpose of the ban is to provide a more pleasant experience for people using the parks and “to ensure the safety and health of park guests from the hazards of second-hand smoke,” according to a staff memo.
About two dozen cities across Florida have adopted similar ordinances.
The cost of the change is expected to be minimal, according to city staff, with “No Smoking” signs among the biggest expense.
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This will probably not be enforced, same as the “No Dogs Allowed” in Central Park. At least a cigarette butt won’t stick to your shoe when you step on it.
Good. Now do something about people blasting their particular flavor of music which not everyone at the park appreciates, THAT would provide me a more pleasant park experience.
I love that smoking will be banned. NOW if they would just get the “No pets in the Park” signs reinstalled. They, unfortunately, have been removed. With all of the children running and crawling around as well as people having family picnics, dogs should NOT be allowed. Slipping in dog poop is not fun and even when picked up there is residue left. Keeping them leashed and on the sidewalks is fine but off the grass!!
I gotta about the people in WP concerned about outdoor 2nd hand smoke. An event at the Farmer’s Market, for example, will prevent indoor smoking and smoking in the parking lot. So, the smokers will move to the sidewalk. Is outdoor second hand smoke a health threat to someone in the parking lot but not on the sidewalk? Seems silly to me and hard to enforce. More performance politics. My fav so far: Gas leaf blower ban starting next July. Everywhere in the city, no “ifs, ands or buts”…..except the WP9 Golf Course. “Do as we say, not as we do” politics.
Is the WP9 using gas leaf blowers again? They had stopped using them years ago and the reduction in the morning noise emanating from the WP9 was a welcome relief.
“Phased elimination of certain leaf blowing or lawn clearing equipment. Regardless of anything set forth in this section to the contrary, the use of a leaf blower that is powered by an internal combustion engine or motor, will be prohibited from use on any property within the city, with the exception of the Winter Park Municipal Golf Course, 30 months following enactment of this subsection.” Jan. 12, 2022.
Hopefully, it stopped but less than a year ago they carved out the exception. The funniest part of this is the person who instigated the ordinance wrote a piece for WPV in 10/21 and, voila, an ord was passed 3 months later. ha ha ha
This is a no-brainer. Banning smoking in the park will prevent those with respiratory issues from having medical incidents due to unexpected exposure. Also, smoke is annoying to a majority of the population and a health hazard for everyone. See the CDC annual report if you don’t believe me.
I’m not a smoker, so I don’t really care! But why does this Commission enact laws that are impossible to enforce, which put the Police Department in another adversarial position that will only piss people off. It’s outside people! Where does smoke go? If you step one inch outside the park, it’s ok. So what have you accomplished?
Unfortunately, cigar smoking is still permitted. This exception makes no sense. Considerate cigar smokers don’t smoke around other people who are not in their smoking group and fortunately the vast majority of cigar smokers are considerate. But there is always that one butthead who likes to annoy other people and show their dominance and blow their smoke at people. Got to wonder why?