Outdoor smoking, polystyrene nixed in Hermosa
The Hermosa Beach City Council banned smoking in most public areas, including pier plaza. Photo by Alene Tchekmedyian
The Hermosa Beach City Council on Tuesday said no to outdoor smoking in broad common areas, tentatively banned the use of polystyrene takeout containers by restaurants, and said yes to the broad outlines of a seven-city bicycle master plan and a Vitality Cities plan for a more walk-able and bike-able town.
“This is a magical night in here tonight,” said Craig Cadwallader of the Surfrider Foundation’s South Bay Chapter, as the council painted the town green.
The council imposed the most aggressive outdoor smoking ban known to local officials, nixing smoking at all outdoor dining areas, the popular Pier Plaza, the city pier, the Strand, the greenbelt parkway that bisects the town, and all city parks and parking lots.
The ban, set to begin March 1, 2012, was approved by a 4-0 vote with Councilman Kit Bobko absent for the later portions of Tuesday’s meeting.
Officials who studied outdoor smoking bans in other cities said it would likely be self-enforcing. Some council members expressed concern that no smoking on the Plaza could push nighttime smokers into residential neighborhoods, but they hope the smokers will gravitate instead to the commercial areas of Beach Drive, which parallels the Strand.
Before the vote, representatives of health and environmental organizations asked the council for the ban.
Former Councilman George Barks, noting that he was going to be on the losing side, made a plea for the “personal freedom” of smokers and potential economic harm to businesses.
Smoking already is banned on the city-owned beach.
While the smoking ban had been foreshadowed by previous council discussions, the polystyrene ban surprised some observers. Previously it had been supported only by Councilman Jeff Duclos, but on Tuesday he was joined by Councilman Peter Tucker and Mayor Howard Fishman.
Tucker told ban supporters that the tide had turned against polystyrene, a material that flakes into tiny pieces and litters the beach and ocean.
“As one president said, my ears ring with your voices,” he said.
Tucker pointed to other industries that have adapted to governmental strictures, and said the dining industry would not face undue hardship.
Fishman said he had more information on polystyrene Tuesday than he had before. He said the ban has support from some local restaurants that have voluntarily stopped using the material.
Councilman Michael DiVirgilio said the ban is an “aggressive” approach to use in a small town. He argued unsuccessfully for a six-month period before the ban in which eateries would be asked to dump polystyrene voluntarily.
He took pains to say that he would favor a ban if gentler methods failed to excise polystyrene. He pointed out that he and Tucker are running for reelection, and said he also heard the voices supporting the ban.
“Mr. Tucker and I are running for office. Who misses that?” he said.
“I have put myself in front of the Mack Truck of banning polystyrene,” DiVirgilio said.
Bobko said the ban represents “the raw application of the government’s power.”
The bike plan, approved only in concept, would add 9.4 new miles of bikeways in Hermosa, in part by painting bicycle lanes onto Aviation Boulevard.