Aldermen considered a proposed ordinance Monday night, which City Attorney Tim Weaver said he assembled from four other ordinances, which would have banned smoking in all parks. Opinions were divided on whether all of Lake Leatherwood City Park would be included in the ban.
Opinions also differed on “Smoking Permitted Areas” and an appropriate signage strategy, but eventually that paragraph was deleted from the ordinance along with the paragraph “City Owned Sporting Arenas.”
Alderman Peg Adamson said there was nothing in the ordinance about marijuana, and alderman Terry McClung picked up her point, noting that smoking medical marijuana around other people can be as offensive as smoking tobacco. The group tossed around ways of slightly amending the ordinance so it would cover smoking marijuana in the park as well, but alderman Bob Thomas pointed out council had been working on eliminating tobacco in parks because it is a health hazard, “and now we’re throwing marijuana in there?”
McClung answered, “I don’t like any kind of smoking.”
Weaver stated the ordinance was tailored toward banning tobacco, and marijuana is not in any of the justifications. Alderman David Mitchell wondered if it were worthwhile to table discussion and let Weaver include marijuana in the ordinance, and Weaver said it could be done. However, Weaver suggested they pass this ordinance with only tobacco, and address marijuana is they ever have a problem.
Aldermen agreed to amend the proposed ordinance one more time. The definition of “Smoking” reads: “For the purpose of this Ordinance, ‘smoking’ means inhaling, exhaling, or carrying any lighted tobacco product.” In an attempt to include medical marijuana in the ban, aldermen suggested deleting the word “tobacco” from the definition. Thomas asked, since the ordinance would read that the definition of smoking included if carrying any lighted product, carrying a lighted candle in Basin Park would now be illegal. Weaver replied, “Maybe.”
Mitchell moved to approve the first reading of Ord. 2256 and alderman Kristi Kendrick seconded. Vote on the motion, however, was 4-2 against, McClung, Schneider, Thomas and Adamson voting No, so the ordinance failed.
Schneider moved to set up another workshop, but there was no second.