City Council Will Consider Stiffer Tobacco Regulations and St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Capitola City Council will consider beefing up the city’s tobacco control ordinance that was written in 1994.  The changes in Section 8.38 of the city code come in response to a county-wide compliance check done by the Santa Cruz County Tobacco Education Coalition.

The compliance check found that about a quarter of all establishments in the county that sell tobacco products were selling those products to minors.  In Capitola where there are 15 stores that sell tobacco, 18 percent of the stores that were checked sold tobacco to minors.

Among other things the new regulations would ban smoking at all events open to the public, would require new signage at establishments that sell tobacco and would create a buffer zone of at least 20 feet between areas where smoking is allowed and areas where it is prohibited.

Do you think the new rules and regulations will help curb selling of tobacco products to minors?

In other business the council will consider approving a permit for a St. Patrick’s Day Parade that is slated to start near the Margaritaville Restaurant and end at the bandstand. 

The staff report prepared by Police Chief Rudy Escalante is luke-warm regarding the parade and doesn’t recommend approval or denial of the permit.

Prior to the open session the city council will receive updates on 10 legal actions involving the City as well as three possible legal actions.

The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 420 Capitola Avenue.

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