Posted on 12/15/2007 2:35:52 PM PST by Mark
BURBANK - Six months into the city's tough anti-smoking ordinance - and more than 250 citations later - some downtown business owners are banding together to fight it.
They say the smoking ban scares away customers, and that it's too harsh, forcing renegade smokers to appear in court.
"It's ridiculous," said Jessica Ullo, manager of Picanha Brazilian Bar and Grill. "Everybody here smokes, and it's like where are we supposed to go for our breaks?"
Barry Kessler, 48, owner of a downtown jewelry store bearing his family name, has led the charge against the anti-smoking ordinance. In the coming weeks he plans to bring together business owners and petition the council to ease up on smokers.
Once burned by a big fine, customers avoid Burbank, he said.
"They're going somewhere else, and those people are gone and we'll never see them again," Kessler said. "So this is why it's distressing."
Under the ordinance, judges typically issue fines of about $200 for a first offense, said Michael Forbes, deputy city planner. A second offense can cost $380.
The ordinance was adopted by a 3-2 vote of the council in March, and it went into effect in May. Except for a few designated areas, it bans smoking anywhere downtown, from Burbank Boulevard to Angeleno Avenue, and from First to Third streets.
In the rest of the city, the ordinance bans smoking in city parks and on sidewalks, and 20-feet from businesses. The special restrictions apply to downtown because the 20-foot rule covers most of the area.
At least two council members still support the ordinance, which could be difficult to overturn.
"I think there's an overwhelmingly desire to experience outdoor dining and shopping in a smoke-free environment," said Mayor Marsha Ramos, the only council member still on the panel who voted for the ordinance.
"As far as I know, there's been no willingness on the part of the council to overturn this," she said.
Burbank adopted the smoking ordinance after Calabasas and Santa Monica adopted their own ordinances. Since Burbank passed its ordinance, Beverly Hills has toughened up its rules on outdoor smoking.
City Councilwoman Anja Reinke joined the council after the ordinance was approved, but she supports it. And she said residents and business owners also tell her they support it.
"At first, people had to get used to the whole thing, and now that it's up and running I think it's working out fine," Reinke said.
Tate Holland, 42, president of the Make-Up Designory in downtown Burbank, also has problems with the ordinance, even though he has never smoked in his life.
"It's not a workable ordinance. It's unrealistic," Holland said.
MUD is a makeup school, with plenty of young students who enjoy puffing on cigarettes. For years, they would gather at the back door to smoke, but the ordinance disrupted that pastime.
For Karrieann Sillay, 32, a teacher at MUD, her smoking habit caused her some headaches in court. Sillay was issued a citation for smoking in a parking lot, but when she missed her court date a warrant was issued for her arrest, she said.
Sillay was never arrested and the officer had the citation withdrawn, because it was unclear if smoking in the middle of the parking lot was OK, she said. But the experience left her unsettled.
"I was incredibly livid. I was like shaking. I was really upset," she said.
Burbank City Councilman David Gordon, who joined the council after the ordinance was adopted, said he did not support the ordinance from the beginning.
"I am a nonsmoker, but if I was a smoker and I was fined and I had to take a half a day off my work to go and appear in court, it could cost me several thousand dollars in absence from my business," Gordon said. "For a first-time offense: smoking."
But now that it's in effect, Gordon said, he wants to allow enough time to see how the ordinance works out before revisiting it. He declined to say how long the test period should last.
Expectedly coming from the mouth of a socialist (and so called conservatives), those are still scary words........
Is that all? To hear the nazis talk about it I figured it vwas much higher.
Kinda like to 245,000,000 who have no insurance, in the U.S.A.! Which is why we need Hitlery "health care."
No more smoking in “Beautiful Downtown Burbank?” I should avoid Bob Hope airport on principle now, but I know that the rest of the nation is not far behind.
"I am a nonsmoker, but if I was a smoker and I was fined and I had to take a half a day off my work to go and appear in court, it could cost me several thousand dollars in absence from my business," Gordon said. "For a first-time offense: smoking."
But now that it's in effect, Gordon said, he wants to allow enough time to see how the ordinance works out before revisiting it. He declined to say how long the test period should last.
What a weasel.
He didn't support the ordinance from the beginning, but just in case the wind blows in the other direction, the extraordinarily principled Gordon will wait to revisit the issue, apparently until the end of time if necessary.
Todd Campbell, the enviroweenie that championed this, moved on to greener pastures (and those domestic violence accusations kept cropping up) These wannabees on the city council have converted nearly the entire city fleet to natural gas, built a hydrogen refueling station, and have fouled up the city with so many other projects it is amazing it is still running as well as it does.
As for the smoking ban....the every growing population of Armenians moving in SMOKES A GREAT DEAL. So, no wonder they are going somewhere else.
Well, it vwas much higher before I put yer mug on my FReep-page.
Howdy, pal .................. FRegards
Then you should stay away from either one if you don't like it.
Smoky backroom bump.
When did this get bumped to the “backroom” and I wonder why?
Don't know. Went back to check, and there it was.
Tobacco Executive: I think Mr. Kramer projects a rugged masculinity.
Jackie Chiles: Rugged? The man’s a goblin. And he’s only been exposed to smoke for four days; by the time this case gets to trial he’ll be nothing more than a shrunken head.
LOL!
And yet they have a total exemption for the entertainment industry, which has a huge presence in Burbank.
Money talks, smokers cough.
Call the BBB?
I posted it in wrong place— my fault.
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