Smoking may soon be prohibited in certain outdoor areas of Southampton Village—including one popular ocean beach—under new legislation that Mayor Mark Epley is set to propose tonight, March 11, at the public meeting of the Village Board.
The proposed law will seek to outlaw smoking for public health and environmental reasons at Windward Way Park, Downs Family Park and the playground section of Agawam Park, as well as Coopers Beach, the village’s only beach with public concession stands. Mr. Epley said that he is targeting areas where children congregate, and his goal is to have the legislation in place by this summer.
If the board approves a resolution enacting the new rules, a public hearing on the proposed change to the village code would likely take place in April, after announcements have been posted in the local newspaper for at least 10 days. Once the public hearing is closed, the legislation would be sent to the state, which would have 45 days to enact it.
The penalty for violators may be up to a $1,000 fine and 14 days in jail.
Anti-smoking issues holds particular concern for the mayor, whose father died of smoking-related lung cancer.
The idea for banning smoking at some of the village’s parks and beaches arose after the Tobacco Coalition of Long Island, a community partnership funded by the New York State Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Program, broached the topic with the village. The coalition’s mission is to “increase the acceptance of non-smoking as the social norm.”
So far, the Town of Huntington is the only municipality in Suffolk County to have tobacco-free policies for playgrounds.
“People are striving for a healthier lifestyle,” said Mr. Epley. “The people at the parks tend to be people who exercise and want the fresh air, so this is a support mechanism.”
The Village Board has so far greeted the proposal favorably, the mayor said.
Colleen Reynolds on Mar 10, 2010