Green Cove Springs passes cigarette ban in parks

The Green Cove Springs City Council passed a ban on cigarette smoking within city parks and docks and piers within city-owned parks during its October 4 meeting.

Thanks for reading Clay Civic! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Subscribed

The law states that violators could be issued civil citations and fines of up to $200 for each offense.

“The city may also issue warnings and lesser fines,” the ordinance states.

The second reading of the new city ordinance omitted the explicit prohibition on the use of “vapor-generating devices,” which was included in the ordinance’s first reading on Sept. 20. The new law also does not apply to unfiltered cigars, in compliance with state statutes.

City Attorney Jim Arnold said he modeled the new law after similar ordinances recently enacted by other Florida municipalities, after the Florida legislature, during its 2022 session, passed a statute allowing cities to regulate smoking in local parks.

Mayor Matt Johnson, Vice mayor Connie Butler and Councilman Steven Kelley voted for the ordinance.

Johnson said he supported the law for two reasons.

“Number 1: cigarette smoke is a nuisance to people,” Johnson said. The mayor added that he had taken his family to Spring Park many times, and if someone started smoking near him at the park, he would probably leave.

“If you smoke, it’s your business,” Johnson continued, “but in a city park, a family should be able to go to a city park without the nuisance of cigarette smoke.”

Johnson said he also supported the ordinance because it would reduce litter.

Council Members Ed Gaw and Thomas Smith voted against the cigarette ban.

Gaw advised his colleagues to wait and see how similar ordinances play out in surrounding municipalities before passing a cigarette ban for Green Cove Springs parks.

“Let’s see how they perform,” Gaw said of nearby communities. “Right now, I think it’s generally ill-conceived and not well thought out.”

“And as far as enforcement goes,’ Gaw added, “we have absolutely no plan on enforcing this ordinance, and to me, that’s problematic.”