Enforcement of downtown sidewalk smoking ban in Stayton is suspended; will be reconsidered

STAYTON – When an ordinance prohibiting smoking on sidewalks in downtown Stayton was passed by the city council in May, the idea was to promote maintenance of businesses in the city’s core.

But some downtown businesses – bars in particular – realized after the ban was approved exactly what it meant. And they didn't like it.

Enforcement of Stayton’s ordinance banning smoking on sidewalks in downtown has been suspended after a public outcry and will be reconsidered at the city council’s Nov. 5 meeting.

“What had happened is (Revitalize Downtown Stayton) had come and said, ‘We’ve talked to the downtown businesses. Here is the ordinance we want to present,’” Stayton city manager Keith Campbell said. 

“When enforcement started coming, businesses started saying we didn’t have any opportunity to comment on this.”

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As part of the ordinance, smoking tobacco, marijuana or e-cigarettes were prohibited outside the façade of any building in the downtown area, between First Avenue and Third Avenue from Water Street to Washington Street.

Bars in the downtown core – Cheers On 1st, Rumors Restaurant & Lounge, Mick & Mom’s Pub & Eatery, and Red Apple Restaurant & Lounge – were directly impacted by the smoking ban.

“There is no logical reason for this ban,” said Samantha Jones of Mick & Mom's.

In some of the bars like Mick & Mom's, there is no room to build a dedicated smoking area. There is no room on their property.

The ordinance that was passed also included removing animal waste and requires maintenance of commercial property in the city’s core to improve downtown Stayton. 

After months of citizens and business owners raising their concerns to the city council, the council voted to suspend the ordinance on Sept. 17.

“We’re people who have rights and something like this should not be decided by five, six people," said Stayton resident James McGrory, who is against the ban. "It should be decided by the public if you want to do something like that.”

In Oregon, Ashland, Eugene and McMinnville have similar downtown smoking bans, Eugene’s coming into effect in August.

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And Stayton’s could come back into effect.

“I would be surprised if it stays mostly intact the way it is now, but we’ll see,” Campbell said. “We’ll see what kind of feedback we get. We’ll see who comes to talk. We’ll see when council decides what they want to do.”

bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler