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its current recommendation for a smoking prohibition in all City parks and trails, excepting the outdoor areas of the golf course. Balancing Interests The proposed amendment to the Municipal Code intends to balance interests by allowing smoking on public sidewalks adjacent to the City parks, but not allowing smoking on trails3 or City parking lots4 within or adjacent to parks. The intent of this distinction is to reduce exposure of park users to second hand smoke, but still allow smokers a path of travel on public sidewalks. A similar balance is addressed by prohibiting smoking on the open space trail located within the Callippe Preserve, but allowing smoking within the outdoor areas of the golf course. This recommendation reflects the social expectation among most golfers that smoking is allowed while playing golf. In contrast to most users of City parks that congregate near sports fields or playground equipment, golfing groups are separated by large distances and constantly moving about the course. Enforcement Enforcement would occur by administrative citation issued by Police Department and Code Enforcement staff. Fines would be $100 for the first offense, and increase for additional offenses within a 12 month period.5 Enforcement would be complaint based after completion of an education campaign and installation of signage. Cigarette Butt Receptacles Rejected As noted above, Youth Commissioners and interested youth volunteers participated in two events that focused on removing cigarette butt litter from City parks. As a result, the Youth Commission explored the possibility of installing cigarette butt disposal receptacles to reduce cigarette butt litter in parks. The Youth Commission received information from the Parks Maintenance Division that the City's only current cigarette butt receptacle (in Delucchi Park), gets little use compared to the observed amount of cigarette butt litter found in the remaining areas of that park. In addition, there are significant costs associated with the purchase, installation and the on -going maintenance of such receptacles. The Youth Commission was also concerned that providing cigarette butt receptacles would create a mixed message potentially inviting smokers. Therefore, the Youth Commission is not recommending that cigarette butt receptacles be provided. For example, smoking would be prohibited on the trails within Ken Mercer Sports Park, but a person could still walk along the sidewalk on the east side of Hopyard Road between Valley Avenue and Parkside Drive and smoke on that public sidewalk. 4 For example, smoking would be prohibited within the City parking lot on the north side of the Ken Mercer Sports Park that is accessed by Parkside Drive. However, persons smoking in the parking lot of the private shopping center at Hopyard at Valley near the skateboard park in the Ken Mercer Sports Park would not be subject to this City restriction. It should be noted that the shopping center property owner can enforce its own trespass restrictions and other conduct rules. See Municipal Code Chapter 1.24 — Administrative Citations. Page 4 of 5