CLEAN AIR SOUTH PASADENA:

South Pasadena Municipal Code &  No-Smoking Ordinance

“No Smoking” signs for businesses are now available for free download!

The City of South Pasadena’s new no-smoking ordinance requires all affected businesses to post City-approved “No Smoking” signs (S.P.M.C. 17.58-3).

City-approved “No Smoking” signs are required for all businesses that have any enclosed/indoor or unenclosed/outdoor public places (e.g., restaurants, food courts, outdoor dining areas, mobile food vendors, health care facilities, theaters, auditoriums, bars, public transportation facilities and stops, etc.). Furthermore, these signs are also required at all workplaces.

The City-approved “No Smoking” sign template must be printed out or produced with minimum dimensions of 5” x 10” so that the capital letters reading “No Smoking” are not less than 1” in height.  The template is available for free download below:

• JPG version:  click here

• PDF version: click here

“No Smoking” signs must be conspicuously posted near at the business site such as outdoor dining patios, entrances, exits, and cashier areas, and should be clearly visible and readable to all patrons and the public outdoors. More information is available at the links below.

S.P.M.C. Ch. 17. Art. V (Smoking-Prohibited) - click here

New No Smoking Ordinance amending the above S.P.M.C.  - click here.

For more information please call (626)403-7210.

HISTORY

On July 7, 2010, the South Pasadena City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the South Pasadena Municipal Code (SPMC) Ch. 17 Art. V, adding a 25-foot smoking-prohibited buffer zone to all areas where smoking had been previous prohibited.

Smoking in all enclosed/indoor and unenclosed/outdoor areas shall be prohibited within a reasonable distance of twenty-five (25) feet from an enclosed/indoor or unenclosed/outdoor area at which smoking is prohibited, except while actively passing on the way to another destination and provided smoke does not enter any enclosed/indoor or unenclosed/outdoor area at which smoking is prohibited.

Smoking is now prohibited at and within a 25-foot buffer zone of the following areas including (but not limited to):

All enclosed/indoor and unenclosed/outdoor public places:

• Elevators and restrooms.

• All service lines where any services are given or received.

• Any public areas of health care facilities and hospitals.

• Any public meeting rooms.

• All hotel and motel lobbies, common areas and restrooms.

• Theaters and auditoriums

• All enclosed, unenclosed, indoor or outdoor restaurants, coffee shops, bars, dining areas and patios.

• Museums, libraries, public transportation facilities, transit stops and commuter rail line stations.
  

Workplaces

• Smoking is prohibited in all workplaces of private, nonprofit and public agencies.
  

In order to comply with the law, effective immediately, all business owners, managers and commercial building management companies should:

• Notify employees and building tenants about the new provisions of the law

• Request patrons who are smoking and in violation of the law to refrain from smoking.

• Post the appropriate visible signage  at the business site such as at entrances and exits, lobbies, restrooms and elevators. These signs must be conspicuously posted and should be clearly visible to patrons and the general public.

• A City-approved “No Smoking” sign,  available above for download, must be printed out or produced with minimum dimensions of 5” x 10” so that the “No Smoking” letters are not less than 1” in height.

• While the new law requires posting these City-approved signs at your business, it is not required to take down pre-existing signs as long as the new City-approved sign is also posted.

• City staff will use discretion to approve requests for minor modifications to the appearance of the template on a case-by-case basis. For all such sign modification requests, please email Assistant City Manager Sergio Gonzalez at sgonzalez@ci.south-pasadena.ca.us.

• Remove all ashtrays that are located in prohibited smoking areas described in the municipal code.

ENFORCEMENT

Owners, operators, managers and patrons are required to comply with the law. To report a violation, the public can call the South Pasadena Police Department at (626)403-7297.

Owners, operators and managers in violation of this law will be subject to a fine and bail forfeiture of no less than $100. Any person violating any provision of SPMC Ch. 17 Art. V by failing to post or cause to be posted a “No Smoking” sign required by this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person violating any provision of SPMC Ch. 17 Art. V by smoking in a “no smoking” area is guilty of an infraction and shall be punished by a fine and bail forfeiture of no less than $100.