While smoking hasn’t been welcomed at beaches in the town of Georgia, Vt. for some time, it was never against the law to light up, simply a bit of defiance to signs that had been posted.

That defiance is a thing of the past, however, and is now a violation of a town ordinance that could cost smokers upwards of $199 for lighting up on property in the Town of Georgia Municipal Recreation Area.

At the July 28 Town of Georgia Select Board meeting, the board adopted an ordinance that officially made smoking at the town’s beach illegal, including fines for those in violation that start at $50 for a first offense, $75 for a second offense and $199 for third and subsequent violations.

Enforcement won’t begin until September 28, which provides for a public comment period on the matter and could result in a full town vote on the matter if at least five percent of the legal voters of the town submit a petition requesting a vote. According to the town’s website, if such a petition is received, the Selectboard must warn a special Town Meeting to vote on this proposed ordinance within 60 days.

Georgia is home to approximately 4,515 residents in Franklin County, about 20 miles north of Burlington.

 

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.