Dearborn Considers More Restrictions on Public Smoking

DEARBORN, MI – Dearborn city officials are considering an ordinance that would restrict tobacco smoking in certain areas of 20 community or neighborhood parks, and ban it completely in mini parks with play agreement.

The ordinance recommended to the Dearborn City Council will likely be discussed and possibly voted on for a final reading at the April 12 business meeting.

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The ordinance change, recommended to the City Council by a subcommittee of the Recreation and Parks Commission, is designed to protect children who are playing at city parks from inhaling second hand smoke.

As recommended, the ordinance amendment prohibits smoking within 15 feet of the outermost edge of any play structure that has been erected in a community or neighborhood park.

It also prohibits smoking in mini-parks, such as Cherry Hill, Dearborn High, Martha-Myrtle, Tannahill, Palmer-Jerome, Riverdale and Morningside that have play equipment.

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• Should the Dearborn City Council enact this proposed ordinance? Does it go far enough? Is it too restrictive? Tell us in the comments.

If the ordinance amendment is approved by the City Council, violators will be subject to a $50 fine, plus costs. Community service may be ordered in lieu of a fine.

More than 1,200 park systems across the country are smoke-free, including the Michigan municipalities of Ann Arbor, Bath, Bad Axe, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Dexter, East Jordan, Escanaba, Greenville, Houghton, Howell, Huntington Woods, Lansing Township, Middleville, Newberry, Petoskey, Port Huron, Soo Township, St. John’s, Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, Superior Township, Traverse City and Wells Township.

» Photo courtesy of the city of Dearborn