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Belmont tries again to ban smoking in private homes

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Belmont, CA -- It's not law yet, but the city of "Backwards Belmont" in California wants to ban smoking in privately owned condos and apartments. Even if you paid half a million dollars for your own condo, the city government can tell you you are not allowed to engage in a legal activity - smoking - in your own home! Of course it's just some dumb b!tch, Mayor Coralin Feierbach, who simply doesn't like the smell of smoke and wants to play Hitler in her little city and tell people where and when they can smoke.

The story from San Jose Mercury News:



The long-smoldering battle over Belmont's proposed anti-smoking ordinance could flare up one more time before it goes on the books.

After voting 3-2 to approve the ordinance Sept. 11, the Belmont City Council was scheduled to finalize it without further discussion at its meeting Tuesday.

But because of some changes city staff made to the ordinance following its initial approval, another public hearing is needed.

The most significant of those changes is a 14-month grace period for smokers living in apartments and condominiums. There also have been a few tweaks to the "reasonable distance" clause that requires smokers to stand 20 feet from any entrance to a non-smoking facility.

The ordinance makes it illegal to smoke in indoor and outdoor workplaces, public spaces such as parks and sports fields, and, most controversially, inside condominiums, townhouses and apartments.

Mayor Coralin Feierbach, who helped push the ordinance, said she hopes Tuesday's discussion will be brief.

"There's just a few things that need to be corrected," she said.

However, Councilman Warren Lieberman, who first voted against the ordinance Sept. 11, hopes to air misgivings one more time.

"My concern primarily is that we take too hard-line an approach to prohibiting smoking in apartments," Lieberman said. "The fact that if you smoke in your apartment you could be evicted - the penalties are just too excessive."

Feierbach, who sees banning smoking in apartments as a key to protecting residents from secondhand smoke, said she won't be swayed by Lieberman's objections.
"My vote stands as is," Feierbach said.

The Belmont City Council is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Belmont City Hall, One Twin Pines Lane.


Sep 24, 2007 9:26 am   Email to a Friend

Comments

J Logan on Jan 06, 2008 8:59 pm

Big brother is watching us! Next books?

Chris on Nov 28, 2007 10:46 am

This has gotten out of control. Does anyone remember "Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure!!!!!" and now we want to do the same thing with tobacco.... Can't we learn from our mistakes??? Adriean - it sounds like you would also have problems if someone wears to much perfume, on pollen filled days, smog days, pet dander...etc. I would sugest you try closeing your window. You are correct.... You do have the right to be "healthy and stay alive" yet I wonder how diferent your life truly would be if you lived somewhere else? or if they did enact the ban.. or would there be something else (like whats stated above) that would keep you ill? If they did inact the ban and your problems didn't get better, then would you stand up with the rest of us and speak out againt the ban??? hummm... I did't think so. Note: I would welcome any comments you might have that directly relates your medical condition to smoking (were u a smoker at one time? is that why you have so many prob's?) I just feel that at some point non-smokers have to start practicing what they preach and take responsibility for themselves and stop trying to tell me what I can can can not do as a ruesult of there preferance... Anyway... Everything I keep reading states that I should be dead (from my caculations). If 2nd hand smoke is so bad and everyone is dieing becasue of it? Then why is it that I can inhale smoke and then the 2nd hand smoke and not be dead yet? I know I MUST get a lot more 2nd hand smoke than any non-smoker? I tell you what. If anyone out there can explain that to me (why I'm still alive at age 31 and i've been smoking for 15 years) smoker+2ndhand smoke+numerous bars+parents that smoke+bla bla bla... yet I'm still here. Do I have an imunity to the effects? (I doubt it) but seriousy!!!! People this is getting sad... And I will be the one that even if they enact the ban I would continue to light up.. just to piss off the neighbors. Unless they witness you actually smokeing then what could they do? They would need a warrent to enter your property. Otherwise they would ticket you based on "a nose".. lol Now that is funny. The court has ordered Jim to pay the fine's and spend a week in jail based on Mrs. Smiths nose.. She smells...lol OMG!!!! Whats next anouther fine cause you fart in the bathroom?

Steven on Nov 05, 2007 1:03 am

This is going toooo frickin far! If I buy a house or a condo or whatever. NO ONE and I MEAN NO ONE will tell me what I can and can't do inside my own house. This is so rediculous that it actually pisses me off. Mayor Coralin Feierbach can kiss my happy smoking a$$~! I am so sick of this crap...

Claudia on Oct 21, 2007 6:54 am

Try moving to a non smoking complex if it bothers you so much

Misanthrope on Oct 10, 2007 7:04 pm

Who was living there first?

Adriean on Oct 07, 2007 9:12 pm

Please Please pass this ordinance. I live in an apartment and I can tell you that in the past two years I have been ill with asthma and constantly coughing, you would think that I am a smoker but I am not. My neighbors downstairs smoke so much that my apartment smells like cigarette smoke. Their bedroom is right underneath mine and my whole room smells of cigarette smoke. Also when they go outside on a nice day or evening they lightup and all the smoke comes thru my bedroom window. I'm tired of coughing day and nite. I spend many sleepless nites up coughing and I am consistantly using inhalers and the nebulizer. I realize smokers have rights but don't I have the right to be healthy and stay alive.
Adriean

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