The Boulder City Council is set to begin the process to expand its existing smoking ban to cover almost every city-owned park, as well as trails, paths and other open spaces, as well as within 15 feet of bus stops and shelters.

The council has added the topic to its Tues., Sept. 23 study session agenda, with 90 minutes allotted for council members to “provide feedback and direction on a staff-developed proposal to ban smoking on select public property.” The proposal was written in response to direction from the council in January 2014.

One exception to the ban’s expansion would be Flatirons Golf Course, because “management at Flatirons Golf Course felt certain that a smoking ban would lead to a decrease in revenue,” and a study that showed that smoking bans at golf courses in Colorado is “almost unheard of,” with just one course restricting smoking–and only on a few holes–due to fire danger.

The proposal isn’t without teeth, as fines are being patterned after a similar ban in the city’s Pearl Street district, which start at $100 and go up to $1000 with jail sentences of up to 90 days possible as well.

Should the council agree to move forward with the proposal, it would be scheduled for a regular city council meeting in the fourth quarter of this year, with passage certainly possible by the end of the year.

Boulder is home to just over 101,000 residents as well as the University of Colorado.

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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.