Smoking now prohibited on Taylorsville city-owned outdoor property

Residents of Taylorsville will soon see enforcement of a recently passed “no smoking” city ordinance. The statute declares that Taylorsville City properties, including city-owned properties outdoors, will now be considered smoke-free zones.

Within the rule, smoking is defined as “possession of any lighted tobacco product in any form.” The order also details exactly what is meant by Taylorsville City property; namely, city-owned parks, trails, and recreational facilities. However, as recorded in the ordinance, parking lots are not included in the prohibited areas and will allow smoking.

Taylorsville officials saw a need for this type of ordinance as more community activities were being held outdoors in public use areas where smoking was occurring.

“We started getting complaints when we’d have these gatherings, for example-‘Taylorsville Dayzz’, or for any outdoor public gathering, where you’d have someone light up a cigarette,” said city administrator John Inch Morgan. “Then it becomes annoying and possibly even dangerous.” Based on the complaints received, the city council made the unanimous decision to include the city’s public lands in the prohibition.

In 2009, when Utah passed the Indoor Clean Air Act, it prohibited smoking inside all publicly owned buildings and businesses. It also included a provision allowing cities to ascertain needs and decide what their own smoking policies would be. Taylorsville has followed this ruling for buildings and has extended it to publicly owned land outdoors.       

 By spring time, easily identifiable signs will be posted to ensure citizens are able to distinguish between smoking areas and non-smoking areas. Parks, trails, and facilities owned by the city will be clearly marked as no-smoking areas, whereas “Designated Smoking Area” signs will be found in vicinities in which smoking is allowed.