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has been expressed that Eugene's 25/75 standard for outdoor smoking areas, in which at least 25 <br /> percent of wall surfaces are open to the outside air, may not provide an acceptable level of air <br /> circulation. <br /> <br />2. For security, privacy and weather protection, some business owners have added covers to openings <br /> on structures for outdoor smoking. In some instances, as with plastic sheeting, these clearly <br /> compromise air circulation. For others, it's less clear- are latticework, window screens and other <br /> permeable covers acceptable? <br /> <br />3. City staff is unaware of many designated smoking areas at businesses other than bars and taverns, <br /> but there are some. If the council intent is to limit these to food- and beverage-services facilities or to <br /> adults-only establishments, current City regulations overlook this restriction. <br /> <br />4. Business owners seek clarity and consistency in the application of the City's non-smoking <br /> regulations. They base a number of financial and operational decisions on the direction they receive <br /> from City policy makers and staff. <br /> <br />What is the City's enforcement approach for addressing alleged violations? <br />As with other nuisance and zoning regulations, the City primarily responds to written complaints in <br />enforcing no-smoking provisions. Anonymous complaints generally are not taken, but the City does log <br />confidential complaints. Depending on the type of violation - such as one that cannot be field-verified - <br />- a confidential complainant may be asked to testify in the event of an appeal hearing. Complaint-driven <br />monitoring does not allow systematic assessment of compliance, and staffing levels make ongoing, <br />proactive enforcement a challenge. Recent enforcement on outdoor smoking areas followed complaints <br />from Lane County Public Health staff. City staff also inspected additional outdoor smoking areas for <br />which complaints were not received in an effort to promote compliance and consistency. <br /> <br />How does Eugene's standard for outdoor smoking area relate to State practice ? <br />The City Attorney believes Eugene's current standard is lawful, based on language in the statute and <br />local code. Both the Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act and Eugene Code prohibit smoking in "public <br />places" and "places of employment." Both of those terms are defined as an "enclosed area." The state <br />statute, ORS 433.835(1) defines "enclosed area" as "all space between a floor and a ceiling that is closed <br />on all sides by solid walls or windows, exclusive of doors or passageways, that extend from thefloor to <br />the ceiling, including all space therein screened by partitions that do not extend to the ceiling" (italics <br />added). The definition of"enclosed area" in Eugene Code section 6.225 is nearly identical. If the space <br />is not an enclosed area -- i.e., it does not have walls that run from the floor to the ceiling on all sides -- it <br />does not fall within the definition of a "public place" or "place of employment" where smoking is <br />banned. However, State public health staff has indicated concern about outdoor smoking areas that are <br />partially enclosed. <br /> <br />The City Code and administrative rule do not specify that outdoor smoking areas are limited to adults- <br />only bars, taverns, cocktail lounges and bingo parlors. These are the establishments exempt from <br />smoking bans by the Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act adopted by the Oregon Legislature in 2001. <br /> <br />Do other state and local regulations, such as building and zoning codes, affect outdoor smoking areas? <br />One zoning issue is allowable fence height, which comes up because of the OLCC requirement at some <br />establishments for distinct drinking areas with barriers to minors. State building codes also regulate <br />certain construction activities. Approximately 40 identified outdoor smoking areas have been established <br /> <br /> L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050523\S050523B.doc <br /> <br /> <br />