Turlock council to review park smoking ban

The City Council, at the behest of a Girl Scout troop, could vote Tuesday night on a smoking ban in city parks.

Such a rule apparently is already in place, a staff report said, but the record is not entirely clear.

The council voted in 2003 to ban smoking at the new Turlock Regional Sports Complex, a soccer and softball venue in the northwest part of town. A document that was part of this item said “the use of tobacco of any kind is prohibited on any portion of city of Turlock parks.”

The report said the citywide ban was not carried out with signs and enforcement, so the council should revisit the issue and stamp out any smoldering doubt.

Scout Troop 3289 approached the city about the issue, with support from the Smoke-Free Park Initiative at the Stanislaus County Office of Education. Council staff recommends approval.

“Adult behavior influences kids’ choices, and parks model healthy behaviors and appropriate use of parks for kids,” the report said. “Nearly 53,000 butts have been picked up and counted during parks cleanup events in Stanislaus County (7,300 butts were collected in Turlock parks).”

The proposal would add electronic and vapor cigarettes to the ban.

Also Tuesday, the council will hear a report on water consumption in Turlock in 2014, the third straight year of drought. And it will review the budget for the fiscal year that started July 1, noting changes in income and spending from the original plan.

This story was originally published January 25, 2015 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Turlock council to review park smoking ban."