City tries to stay clear of smoking issue
May 12,2015
By Gordon Dritschilo
City officials said Monday they were reluctant to take any direct action to curb smoking outside apartment buildings.
The Charter and Ordinance Committee met on the issue for about half an hour. There was no official action, but the issue was kept in committee and the chairman, Alderman David Allaire, said he would reach out to an area landlord organization regarding the subject.
The issue was referred to committee after William Jalbert approached the Board of Aldermen asking if the city would consider adopting an ordinance banning smoking within a certain distance of multi-family housing. Jalbert clarified Monday he was only seeking a ban that would apply to apartment buildings that had prohibitions in their leases on smoking inside.
“I respect everyone’s rights,” he said. “I just don’t want it entering my house.”
Jalbert said he rented his current apartment because it was advertised as a nonsmoking building. However, he said tenants smoking right outside were negating any benefit of the building being smoke-free on the inside.
“I’ve tolerated it, but it’s gotten to the point where I can’t even open a window or my front door,” he said. “My yard looks like an ash tray.”
Jalbert said his landlord has been unresponsive.
While some board members expressed sympathy, none of those present appeared eager to bring an ordinance into the issue. Alderwoman Sharon Davis called it a landlord-tenant issue. Alderman Matt Bloomer said the city might adopt something making it easier for a tenant to break a lease under circumstances like Jalbert’s.
Board President William Notte said that the city had banned smoking in city parks, but saw this as a different situation.
“I think the market can regulate itself here,” he said. “I think I would be more concerned with this issue if we had a dearth of available apartments.”
