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Bars might not duck PTC smoking ordinance

Proposal: Allow separate ‘smoking rooms’ instead

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Peachtree City bars might be included after all in a proposed ban on public smoking that’s being pieced together for consideration by the City Council.

Under the ordinance proposed at Thursday night’s council meeting, bars were exempt from the ban, which also extends to restaurants, shopping malls and public areas at office buildings. In exchange for the exemption, the bars agree to allow no one under the age of 18 inside, noted Mayor Steve Brown.

But that wasn’t enough to convince council members Steve Rapson and Judi-ann Rutherford, who both argued that bars are no different than any other public area in the city.

“If it’s a public health issue, there’s no exception,” Rutherford said.

She suggested the city allow bars and restaurants to establish smoking rooms instead, so long as those rooms are totally enclosed and have their own ventilation systems.

Such arrangements are commonplace in Atlanta at public areas like Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and other office buildings, Rapson noted.

“I don’t have the latitude to compromise on a health issue,” Rapson said, also commending the bar owners for coming to the table in a bid to reach middle ground with the city. “... If you’re gonna smoke in a public area, you’re going to infringe upon my health.”

Brown joined Councilman Stuart Kourajian in voting for the ban after a few minor changes were made to the ordinance. Rutherford and Rapson voted against, creating a 2-2 deadlock with Councilman Murray Weed absent.

Council did agree to have city staff research the requirements for self-contained smoking areas and to hold another workshop meeting on the issue.

Scott Trammell, the managing partner of the Peachtree City Longhorn Steakhouse, said the restaurant has only four smoking tables now out of 52 total tables. But restaurants in the chain which have had smoking bans enacted dropped between 7 and 17 percent in their overall sales figures, he noted.

“Some stores have lost in the neighborhood of $250,000 a year,” Trammell said.

Peachtree City resident Kathie Cheney, who has fought for the smoking ban, said the issue was about public health, just as there are guidelines for bars and restaurants to wash glasses to prevent the spread of diseases.