Smoking allowed in Cicero

3/17/2007
By Cari Brokamp -Cicero Life
The Cicero Town Board Tuesday unanimously adopted a smoking ordinance that gives all public places the option of maintaining smoking areas, just two days before a far more prohibitive county ban would have gone into effect.

"The county's ordinance was extraordinarily restrictive and prohibited smoking in all (public) places," said Town Attorney Michael Del Galdo, who drafted the ordinance. "This provides us more lenience to business owners, to either prohibit or allow smoking."

All public places, including restaurants, may designate sections in which smoking is permitted, or may declare itself completely non-smoking. The ordinance does not regulate smoking in factories, warehouses and other similar work places not normally open to the public.

Smoking is strictly prohibited in student dormitories, but there are none in the town.
Town spokesman Dan Proft said the town initially planned to develop an alternate ordinance so it was "not subject to the whims of the county's ban."

Business owners say they appreciate the town's adoption of a flexible ordinance.

Darlene Kroll owns Tastees doughnut shop at 32nd Street and Laramie Avenue, and said a ban would have hurt her business. She said a majority of her clientele are senior citizens who like to come into the shop and enjoy a cigarette over their doughnut and coffee in the morning.

"I could not feel right telling the senior citizens to go outside to have a cigarette," Kroll said. "There are worse things in the world, and we couldn't take that right away from them."
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Dominick, Town Board Balance Public Health, Business Interests with new Smoking Ordinance
3/15/2007
Cicero, Illinois... Cicero Town President Larry Dominick and the Cicero Town Board unanimously passed a new town smoking ordinance at the March 13 board meeting designed to pre-empt the Cook County smoking ban and balance public health concerns with respect for the town's business community, particularly proprietors of restaurants and bars.

The town's action was in response to an ordinance passed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners a few months back that prohibits smoking in public places and prohibits smoking within fifteen feet (15') of any entrance to an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited.

The town's ordinance is less Draconian, allowing restaurants and bars to designate smoking and non-smoking areas within their establishments so as to cater to their clientele as they deem appropriate within the bounds of the ordinance and other applicable town rules and regulations.

"My office heard from a lot of business concerned about the negative impact Cook County's ordinance would have had on their business if the town did not act," said President Dominick. "The ordinance we crafted is a more balanced measure that acknowledges the rights of non-smokers and addresses public health concerns while still respecting the private property rights of business owners in Cicero."
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Highlights of Cicero's New Smoking Ordinance for Indoor Enclosed Areas:
Indoor public places where smoking is allowed and prohibited:
Smoking is allowed in designated smoking areas of public places, which includes restaurants;

Smoking is allowed in bars and taverns;

Smoking is allowed in rooms and halls that are used for private social functions where seating is controlled by the sponsor of the function;

Smoking in factories, warehouses and similar places of work not usually frequented by the general public is not regulated by the Ordinance; and

Smoking is prohibited in student dormitories.

Designating smoking areas:
The elected officials of the Town who have control over a public place may establish designated smoking areas, if not prohibited by law or ordinance;

The proprietor of a public place may establish designated smoking areas, if not prohibited by law or ordinance;

Elected officials of the Town controlling public places and proprietors of public places shall make reasonable efforts to prevent smoking outside of designated smoking areas; and

The abovementioned individuals shall post appropriate signs designating smoking and nonsmoking areas.

Enforcement:
A person or entity that violates the Ordinance is guilty of a petty offense; and

A person or entity that violates the Ordinance may be fined as follows:
- Not less than $25.00 nor more than $750.00 for a first offense;
- Not less than $100.00 nor more than $750.00 for a second offense; and
- Not less than $250.00 nor more than $750.00 for a third or subsequent offense within a calendar year period. 
Click here to view the complete ordinance.