Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Alexandria, VA considers unique smoking ban _ through zoning

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
Doondoo Donating Member (843 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-03-07 05:45 PM
Original message
Alexandria, VA considers unique smoking ban _ through zoning
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) -- Alexandria officials, who have been frustrated by the lack of a statewide restaurant smoking ban, have come up with a new, creative plan to stop people from lighting up inside the establishments.

The city, located just outside the nation's capital, would use its own zoning authority to create a local ban. For example, the city would require a bar or restaurant to be smoke-free to get a permit. Restaurants with permits would have to agree to go smoke-free in three months or risk future restrictions or even closure.

If Alexandria succeeds, it would become the first locality in the state to bar restaurant smoking. Other jurisdictions have been unable to bar smoking because local governments in the state do not have the authority to create outright smoking bans in restaurants and bars. In Virginia, a tobacco state, smoking bans have been a tough sell. This year, the state legislature considered several proposals to restrict smoking in public places but ended up with a measure that requires restaurants that allow smoking to post signs.

In Alexandria, officials decided to use "creative, outside-the-box" thinking to come up with a solution, said Mayor William D. Euille.

"This is something we all wanted," Euille said. "It would be nice if the state would mandate and make it happen. But obviously they're passing the buck on this ... so we need to move forward to do what we need to do, and we found the loophole to do it."


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DC_SMOKING_BAN_ALEXANDRIA_VAOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC