Duluth Mulls Tobacco Free Policy in City Parks

The Duluth City Council will further discuss adopting a “tobacco free” policy for the city’s parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities at its next work session Nov. 28.

Duluth Parks and Recreation Director Kathy Marelle and Nicole Love, representing the Duluth Parks and and Recreation Advisory Board, presented information on the proposed policy to the council at its Oct. 24 work session. “Tobacco free,” they explained, is different from a “smoke-free” policy, which allows smoking in designated areas.

Adoption of the policy, which would prohibit smoking and tobacco use, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and smokeless tobacco, by staff and visitors at Duluth’s six parks 24 hours a day, would show that “the city cares about the health of the community,” Love said. If the city’s policy is modeled after the Centers for Disease Control’s policy, she said, the city would be eligible for funding from the CDC for tobacco free signs that would be posted at the parks.

If Duluth adopts a tobacco free policy, it would be the first in Gwinnett. Tobacco free policies for parks are currently in effect in Athens-Clark County, Clayton, Henry, and Lumpkin counties and in the cities of Alpharetta, Roswell, and Marietta, according to a map displayed at the work session.

Councilman Doug Mundrick requested information from other counties and cities that have tobacco free policies before the council acts on the proposal for Duluth. The issue was placed on the Nov. 28 work session agenda for further discussion.

Serving complimentary wine, beer sent back to ARB

A recommendation by the Alcohol Review Board to amend the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance to allow merchants to serve a complimentary glass of wine or a beer to customers on special occasions was sent back to the board to develop options. Downtown merchants have asked to be allowed to do this.

City Attorney Stephen Pereira reported to the board that the state Board of Revenue had ruled that giving away alcohol would be illegal and merchants would be subject to criminal prosecution. Pereira told the council he has requested clarification of the ruling.

ARB Chairman Dr. Slade Lail told the council the board may reconsider requiring the merchants to obtain special permits or licenses, which had been previously discussed but dropped after the process appeared to become complicated. The ARB has scheduled a called meeting to re-address the issue for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Main Street Conference Room at Duluth City Hall.

Specific plans requested for proposed courtyard

The recently formed Community Volunteer League was advised by the council not to disturb the asphalt and to present a specific plan for benches, trellises, planters, and other features it has proposed to turn an alleyway off West Lawrenceville Street into a courtyard.

The alleyway is located beween fyi Frugally Yours Interiors and Wallace Reid Studios. The league, which operates under the auspices of the Duluth Downtown Development Authority, has to obtain permission from the council to improve the alleyway, currently used for parking, since it is owned by the city.

Downtown Duluth pedestrian safety improvements

The council asked city staff to come up with alternative proposals for improving pedestrian access to Taylor Park from the paver parking lot on Main Street and creating/aligning a Main Street crosswalk with the handicapped ramp next to City Hall.

LCI summary placed on Nov. 14 meeting agenda

Adoption of an executive summary of the Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) 10-Year Update was placed on the agenda for the city council’s regular Nov. 14 meeting.