There are differeing views on Calabasas
[OE 12:30: And differeing veiws on speling allso.]
From a Houston, Texas writer:
I've decided that I am moving to Calabasas, California AS SOON AS my finances agree. They have enacted one of the toughest Smoking Bans in the country and I would pledge my allegiance to this place in a NEW YORK MINUTE! WOW! Talk about a mayor having the BALLS to look out for his city's citizens who want to keep their lungs healthy and flesh-colored and not black and crumbly.
Sandy isn't so thrilled:
I guess I shouldn't worry, It's not like I live in Calabasas or will ever visit, but what's next? The "No Heels Law" because when you walk it's too loud and it disturbes other people? The "No Gum Chewing" law because it drives you nuts to hear the smacking? The "No slurping your soup in public places" because that drives you nuts too? Hmmmm....I think I'm going to start making my own cards to hand out to people...LMAO! (oh, no can do, I don't have the LAW behind ME!)
Just to clarify...it is NOT a complete ban. Here are excerpts from the text of the ordinance:
Sec. 8.12.040 Prohibition of Smoking
(a) Public and Other Places Where Smoking Prohibited. Except as otherwise
provided by this chapter or by state or federal law, smoking is prohibited
everywhere in the city, including but not limited to:
(1) Public Places;
(2) Places of Employment;
(3) Multi-Unit Residence Common Areas;
(4) Enclosed and Unenclosed Places of Hotels, Businesses, Restaurants, and Bars, and other public accommodations.
(b) Places Where Smoking Permitted. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this
subsection, Smoking is permitted in the following locations within the City, unless
otherwise provided by state or federal law:
(1) Private Residential Property, other than those used as a child-care or
health-care facility subject to licensing requirements when Employees, children
or patients are present. Nothing in this ordinance shall require a person or
entity who or which owns or controls a private residential property, including
but not limited to a condominium association or an apartment owner, to permit
smoking and such a person may choose to prohibit smoking throughout the
property he, she or it owns or controls.
Incidentally, it should be noted that this is an example of the greedy capitalists imposing their will on the hardworking proletariat. I assume that the Communist Party of Calabasas opposed this portion of the ordinance.
(2) In up to twenty percent of guest rooms in any hotel or motel, if the
hotel or motel permanently designates at least 80 percent of its guest rooms as nonsmoking rooms, appropriately signs non-smoking rooms and permanently
removes ashtrays and matches from them. Smoking rooms shall be segregated
from non-smoking rooms on separate floors, wings, or portions of either;
smoking and non-smoking rooms shall not be interspersed. Nothing in this
ordinance shall require a hotel or motel to provide smoking rooms and the owner
or operator of a hotel or motel may choose to prohibit smoking throughout the
property.
(3) Designated Unenclosed Areas in Shopping Mall Common Areas
(“smokers’ outposts”), provided that (i) there is not more than one square foot
of unenclosed area designated for smoking for every 20,000 square feet of
rentable Enclosed or Unenclosed Space a Shopping Mall (provided that each
Shopping Mall may have at least one smokers’ outpost of 40 or fewer square
feet in area, (ii) the area is prominently marked with signs, (iii) it is located the
greatest distance practicable, and at least five (5) feet, from any doorway or
opening into an Enclosed area or any access way from parking facilities to the
retail areas of the Shopping Mall, (iv) smoke is not permitted to enter adjacent
area in which smoking is prohibited by this chapter, other law or by the owner,
lessee or licensee of the adjacent property, and (v) the location(s) of the
smokers’ outpost(s) is or are approved in writing by the community
development director of the city based on the standards of this paragraph and
the goals of this chapter;
(4) Any outdoor area in which no non-smoker is Present and, due to the
time of day or other factors, it is not reasonable to expect another person to
arrive.
(c) No person shall dispose of Smoking waste or place or maintain a
receptacle for Smoking waste in an area in which Smoking is prohibited by this
chapter or other law, including within any Reasonable Distance required by this
chapter.
Sec. 8.12.050 Reasonable Distance Required
No person shall Smoke in an area in which Smoking is otherwise permitted
by this chapter or other law within a Reasonable Distance from any entrance,
opening, crack, or vent into an Enclosed Area in which Smoking is prohibited by
this chapter, other law or by the owner, lessee or licensee of that Enclosed Area.
I've noted above that the Communists are probably opposed to that portion of the proposal that gives the capitalists control over whether or not smoking is permitted in a person's home (or in a hotel room). I also wonder how NORML feels about the ordinance. Officially they may not have any stance, since the word "marijuana" is not explicitly mentioned in the ordinance, but what if NORML wants to have one of their smoke-ins in Calabasas? What happens then?
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