Parks Smoking Ban Approved
Pease Park is one of the many places where smoking a cigarette will be punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 starting December 26. Photo/KUT NewsThere’ll be no more lighting up in Austin parks as of December 26.
City council gave final approval to a permanent ban on smoking in city parks today. Violators could be fined up to $2,000.
Exemptions to the ban include special events, film shoots where actors are required to smoke and public golf courses. The latter was the subject of some confusion, as the council sought to exempt only golfers between the first tee and the last hole.
“Let’s say you’re playing the eighteenth hole and you overshoot the green, and you decide to have a smoke before you hit your next shot. Is that a violation?” asked Mayor Lee Leffingwell, when discussing where to draw the line.
The council eventually settled on exempting anyone actually playing a round of golf.
