The Madison, Conn. Board of Selectmen voted on Monday night to make beaches and parks in the town tobacco free, but they did give smokers a bit of a reprieve after several community members voiced their concerns that they were being pushed out of those areas.

Designated smoking areas will be created as part of the new law, with the town’s Beach and Recreation Commission tasked with creating those areas, according to the New Haven Register. The town will begin informing residents and visitors of the changes in the coming weeks and as demand for the parks and beaches increases with the warmer weather.

The city has not yet listed the ordinance on its website, and punishments or fines for violators remain unclear.

The ordinance goes into effect immediately. Madison is home to just over 18,000 residents and is located about 40 miles south of Hartford.

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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.