An ad hoc task force created to draft a clean air ordinance for Riverside has settled on a law that would prohibit smoking in most public places and businesses. The Riverside Smoke Free Air Act will be considered at an upcoming Committee of the Whole session of the village board, either in November or December. A law is likely to be on the books before the beginning of 2007, according to Village Manager Kathleen Rush.
The task force, which consists of two village trustees, John Scully and Candice Grace; a physician, Dr. Robert Novak; a registered nurse, Claire Gangware; and a Riverside business owner, Scott Zimmer, largely settled on the final draft of the ordinance at a meeting held Oct. 18.
Riverside’s draft ordinance is similar to the law passed in March by the Cook County Board, which banned smoking in all indoor public places and all places of employment. That law goes into effect on March 15, 2007, and individual municipalities have the ability to either adopt the county’s law or pass one on their own, which could be either more or less restrictive.
According to Riverside’s draft ordinance smoking would also be prohibited in unenclosed public spaces, including parks and recreation areas within 25 feet of any play area, playground or scheduled activity. Smoking would be allowed at parades and picnics, however.
In addition, smoking would not be allowed on school grounds or sidewalks within 25 feet of a public entrance or an outdoor dining area, excluding people simply walking past those areas.
The law prohibits smoking in all places of employment and prohibits indoor smoking lounges inside businesses. It also prohibits smoking in outdoor dining areas.
Violators would receive a fine of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense and between $100 and $500 for third and subsequent offenses. Any business owner who allows smoking in a prohibited area would be subject to a fine of between $100 and $1,000, according to the draft ordinance.
The new law, if passed by the Riverside village board, will have little effect on current businesses in town. None of the village’s restaurants allows smoking indoors, and the village’s lone bar, Parallel 42 Wine Cafe, also doesn’t allow smoking.
Zoo excluded
The ordinance purposely excludes Brookfield Zoo, which lies both in Riverside and Brookfield on land owned by the Cook County Forest Preserve District.
According to Sondra Katzen, media relation manager for the zoo, the Cook County Forest Preserve District’s current policy already bans smoking inside buildings at Brookfield Zoo, although smoking is allowed in the outdoor areas of the zoo. That policy won’t change when the county-wide ban goes into effect in March 2007.
North Riverside, Brookfield
Meanwhile, North Riverside Village Administrator Guy Belmonte said the village board would likely take up the matter at a Committee of the Whole session in January. The date for that meeting has not yet been set.
Currently, Belmonte said, North Riverside Mayor Richard Scheck is gathering input from the village’s restaurant and bar owners.
Brookfield Village Manager Riccardo Ginex said that he has been collecting clean air ordinances from surrounding communities, including Riverside and Hinsdale, but that discussions about the issue are still just getting started in the village.
“It’s going to be an interesting discussion,” Ginex said. “There are a lot of restaurants and bars here where people are not going to be very happy if [a no-smoking law] happens. I want to make sure the issue gets enough discussion at a board meeting.”
There are no plans for the Brookfield village board to take up the issue in the near future. But, Ginex said, “it’s on our radar of things to look at.”
