Smoking Ban Gets Support From Councilmembers

Murrieta is one step closer to adopting stricter rules on smoking in public parks.

City Council voted 4-0 last week, with Councilwoman Kelly Bennett absent, to introduce an amending ordinance that would make it an infraction to smoke in any part of a City-owned park, open space or trail.

Councilman Doug McAllister pointed out that not only is secondhand smoke a factor when a person is walking through a City-owned field, but that it also becomes a fire hazard.

Once adopted, the amended ordinance would take affect within 30 days, with the cost to the City expected to be about $1,000 for added signage.

Murrieta resident Seini Villarroel frequents many parks in Murrieta with her five-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son, and supports the tighter restrictions.

"Most of the time I just think it's common sense that people should know not to smoke where there are families and kids," Villarroel said.

She admits she does try to keep her children away from secondhand smoke. Her father was a longtime smoker, but said he recently quit when her daughter was born.

"She would cough every time he walked by."

"It just bums me out (when I see it). I do understand everyone has the right to do what they want, but at the same time the (City) has to balance it out."

Smoking would be banned in parking lots of City parks. Currently, it is prohibited within 15 feet of children's play areas, athletic fields and courts, skate parks and sports arenas and any adjacent seating areas.

Since 2006, smoking has been prohibited near public places, shared interiors of housing complexes, places of employment and restaurants in Murrieta. Infraction tickets cost $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense within a year and $500 for the third offense within a year.