The Fort Collins City Council has been busy in the past year trying to stamp out smoking, and as they look to further expand the city’s smoking ban they are seeking public comment in advance of their Feb. 3 meeting to discuss the matter.

The city has recently posted an online, anonymous survey to solicit residents’ feedback on whether the ban should be extended areas: an expanded area of downtown that includes Old Town Square; all city owned or operated facilities and their grounds; all City parks, trails, and natural areas; and most city-approved events and festivals. These changes have been in discussion since last April.

Last November, the council approved a smoking ban on restaurant patios, a change that goes into effect on Jan. 17. The start date was pushed back from the originally proposed Jan. 1, and makes it illegal to smoke at an outdoor bar or patio, and prohibits smoking within 20 feet of an outdoor dining area or bus stop for the city’s public transportation system. There are at least 16 bars affected by the change.

Currently, Fort Collins prohibits smoking inside restaurants and bars, as well as
places of employment, except in locations in which the City Code expressly permits smoking, a list that includes retail tobacco stores, private functions not open to the public and smoking cessation rooms or hospital smoking rooms..

Bowling alleys, bingo parlors and public transit facilities (including benches and platforms) are also on the no smoking list.

Fort Collins is a city of 150,000 located 65 miles north of Denver, and is known for being the home of Colorado State University.

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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.