Daily Journal, San Mateo County, 12/2/14, Letter to the Editor/Joanne L. Rayner, Foster City.
 |
No need, in this city
a NIMBY will pollute you. |
"Editor: As a longtime member and home owner of this community, I am writing a
letter of protest to the Foster City Council for the first time. I am
shocked and outraged at your expansion of our
No Smoking Ordinance
(“City bans smoking in apartments, continues to look at private
property” in the Oct. 8 edition of the Daily Journal).
What right do you think you have to usurp the Constitution of the
United States and tell people what they can and cannot do in the
privacy of their own homes? You are telling residents of our apartments,
townhouses and condominiums that they may not smoke in their own homes.
You do not have this right. I am not a smoker and do not
have a dog in
this race, but I am a law-abiding American citizen that is fed up with
those that think they can re-interpret our Constitution and bend the
very foundation of the laws of our society to suit their own personal
goals.
I am respectfully appealing to you as a responsible governing
body of the community of Foster City to reconsider this unlawful action.
I am further going to ask other residents of Foster City to protest
this irresponsible action. Power is a corruptible force and when it is
misused, it opens the door to more denial of citizen’s rights and that
is not tolerable. What more will you tell us we are not allowed to do in
the privacy and sanctity of our own homes? This kind of power abuse
must stop before it becomes embedded in your council’s dealings."
Note: the electronic version of the Daily Journal article referenced does not seem to be available. Also not much information other than studies on the Foster City website.
Related Foster City articles -
Daily Journal (San Mateo), Samantha Weigel, 9/5/14, "City moving smoking prohibitions forwad: Foster City moves to regulate apartments, not restaurants; moire discussion coming."
City of Foster City,"Smoking ordinance update." In 2014, the City Council undertook a comprehensive update of its
Smoking Ordinance, which had been in place since 1994. The City
Council had held a number of public meetings on this topic."
San Mateo County Association of Realtors (SAMCAR), Paul Stewart, Government Affairs Director, 9/30/14. "Foster City reconsiders smoking ban in ownership units." "While the City Council of Foster City approved a smoking ordinance on
a 3-2 vote, they withheld approval of a previous section wherein all
ownership units are exempted.
The Council is seeking to ban smoking in
one's own house as pertains to townhomes and condominiums resolved
within 30 days. ... SAMCAR is also considering an outreach campaign to ALL home
owners in Foster City.
(Imagine having to tell someone who just paid
$800,000 for a townhome in Foster City—a bit less than the median home
price of $1,280,000—that they are barred from smoking in their own
home?) The ordinance not only applies to rental housing, but includes leased
properties. The Council also changed the distance for a smoking ban at
main entrances of defined structures from 20 feet to 50 feet and added
that a change of ownership triggers a full smoking ban for
non-residential properties."
Unelated unincorporated areas of San Mateo County No Smoking ordinance -
Mercury News/Peninsula/Bonnie Eslinger, Staff, 10/22/14. "San Mateo County bans smoking inside apartments, condos and townhomes." "
Smoking either tobacco or
electronic cigarettes will be prohibited inside apartments, condominiums
and townhomes in unincorporated areas of San Mateo County under a ban
approved 4-1 Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors." Redwood City-Woodside Patch, Paul Stewart (Open Post) 10/23/14, "County Supervisors ban smoking in your own home,." "....
Only Supervisor Don
Horsley stood up for private property rights. ... (Oh yeah, medicinal cannabis, however, is exempted.) What was exempted in the ordinance: Detached, single-family
residences and detached, single-family homes with a detached or attached in-law
or second units which was approved pursuant to code.
What was NOT exempted: Townhomes - whether owned or rental;
Condominiums - whether owned or rental; and, Apartments - which includes
anything tri-plex and up.
Note graphic: Sign from the The BS Report, "NYC opens first non-smoking apartment building, 11.17/09."
Posted by Kathy Meeh
1 comment:
When I was young, you could smoke in hospitals, Serramonte, restaurants, university libraries and movie theaters. I smoked for many years. Quitting nearly 10 years ago after 25 years of smoking a pack or two a day was the best thing I ever did. If you smoke, please consider quitting, like me, you'll be glad you quit.
Post a Comment