GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- After a briefly heated discussion, the Grand Rapids City Commission approved a ban on smoking and vaping in all public parks -- except for a city-owned golf course.
The ban on smoking, vaping and all types of marijuana and tobacco products from city parks and playgrounds was approved by a 6-1 vote Tuesday evening, Oct. 27, by the Grand Rapids City Commission.
In addition to those prohibitions, the ban will forbid disposing of tobacco products and waste like cigarette butts on sidewalks, grass and other areas not designated a tobacco product disposal receptacle.
The ban, issued in the form of an ordinance amendment to the city’s Clean Air Ordinance, goes into effect Jan. 1, 2021.
Commissioner Jon O’Connor was the sole no vote on the measure. O’Connor took issue with, among other aspects, the exemption from the ban of the city’s Indian Trails Golf Course, which was added as an amendment Tuesday night.
He deemed the exemption as government “picking winners and losers.”
“So basically what we’re saying is if I have enough money to go golfing at a golf course that’s barely fiscally-sustainable, that’s cool, I can have a cigar or cigarette. But if I’m one of our homeless folks living down at Pekich Park or at Heartside Park, I can’t smoke there anymore?” asked O’Connor, who earlier stated he has enjoyed cigars at the golf course.
“We’re not going to entertain that sarcastic remark with a response,” said Commissioner Senita Lenear, who introduced the amendment to remove the golf course from the ban.
“That’s not sarcastic, that’s the truth,” O’Connor replied. “Have we driven by either of these parks? We can’t control people from urinating in parks at this point, but we’re going to go ahead and say we’re going to stop them from smoking?”
O’Connor advocated for the commission to look at smoking exemptions for activities in parks that weren’t near other people, such as fishing. Lenear agreed with him on that, but no amendment was put forward, as city staff said they had not looked into allowances for smoking along the riverside.
There was some confusion among residents, who called in to the city commission meeting wondering if the ban extended to all city sidewalks. City Manager Mark Washington said the ban only extended to smoking on sidewalks within and adjacent to city parks.
Some others who called into the meeting Tuesday night asked to remove the consumption of non-smokeable marijuana items from the ban.
When the proposed ban was first presented, some commissioners advocated for alternatives to the civil infraction incurred by violating the ban. None were enshrined in the ordinance amendment approved Tuesday.
Washington said the city was “by no means” making enforcement of the ban a high enforcement priority or effort to criminalize smoking.
“Our approach is to begin with education as a way of compliance and ensuring wellness,” he said.
O’Connor called the ban hard to enforce and counter to the commission’s previous discussions about equity and wanting to decriminalize minor charges that are just “traps for people.”
Park ambassadors will enforce the ordinance amendment, and parks will be outfitted with signage indicating smoking is prohibited.
David Marquardt, the city’s director of Parks and Recreation, previously told commissioners that those violating the proposed amendment would first receive a verbal warning to either stop smoking or leave the prohibited area.
If a person refuses to comply, the city may issue a civil infraction.
According to Grand Rapids officials, nearly 60 jurisdictions in Michigan have tobacco-free parks policies, including Greenville, Sault St. Marie, Traverse City, Escanaba, Grand Haven Township, Howell, Ottawa County, Portage and Michigan’s state parks.
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