SEAL BEACH : City to Explore Wider Smoking Ban

The City Council this week expressed interest in forming a citizens’ committee to tackle the issue of smoking in public places.

Council members will hammer out the panel’s mission and appoint members at future meetings, when the council is expected to officially vote to form the committee.

This week’s move comes after several residents requested that the city consider restricting smoking in restaurants and bars.

Council members vowed to appoint a committee made up of residents, merchants and perhaps even health professionals.

One of the committee’s main tasks will be to define what constitutes a “public place” and then consider whether smoking should be restricted in such areas. Right now, Seal Beach restricts smoking only in certain city-owned facilities.

Tom Charara, owner of a Main Street restaurant and leader of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce, said he opposes new smoking restrictions.

“This would limit businesses in Seal Beach,” he said.

Charara said that smoking bans in other cities have been overturned after merchants complained that such restrictions drove away customers.

Mayor Gwen Forsythe also expressed concerns about enacting new smoking rules on businesses. “I would not like the city of Seal Beach to be in the position of mandating no-smoking (regulations) at restaurants,” she said.