One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Smoking Could Get Banned at 87 Parks in Long Beach
Photo by chimothy27 via Flickr
Of the 153 parks in Long Beach, 87 of them are considered small. That's small as in less than five acres and even down to the size of a "glorified median." Nonetheless, one smoker in a small park could mean everyone else is dealing with it. "I tend to go to a lot of smaller parks," Long Beach City Councilmember Suja Lowenthal, who wants city staff to draft an ordinance, told the Press Telegram. "I notice that when folks are smoking, there are not very many places you can go in a small pocket park to get away from that."
State law already prohibits smoking within 25 feet of playground or sandbox area, but not all parks have those facilities. Lowenthal said she'd be willing to see the ban placed on parks with at least three acres or less. 73 of the city's parks are three acres or less with 51 one of those under one acre. Another 14 are three to five acres.
The motion will go before the city council on Tuesday.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
