Rehoboth limits smoking on beach, boardwalk

Steve Curson's quest for a smoking ban on Rehoboth's beach went further than he could have hoped.
On Monday, its commissioners voted to make Rehoboth the last of Delaware's major ocean resorts to ban smoking on the beach, except for a few designated areas. But the commissioners took the ban a step further, prohibiting smoking on the resort's mile-long boardwalk and the public areas adjacent to it.
The ban takes effect May 15.
Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, the guarded ocean beaches at two coastal Delaware State Parks and Dewey Beach already ban smoking. South Bethany Beach still allows it and Lewes, on Delaware Bay, allows smoking on the beach but not in municipal parks.
Curson's effort started last summer over "my frustration ... from sitting on the beach and having smokers ruin my day."
In September, he started a petition drive and by January, he presented close to 1,000 signatures of residents and visitors, calling on city officials to enact a beach smoking ban.
Poll: Limiting smoking at Rehoboth Beach
In 2011, City Commissioner Stan Mills proposed a smoking ban on the beach and boardwalk. Instead, commissioners voted 5-2 to ban smoking in parks, as a first step.
Mills said Monday he was pleased that this time the vote was unanimous and that city officials decided to expand the smoking prohibition.
Mills said second-hand smoke is a real health concern and people shouldn't have to be exposed to it.
"Do we want to become known as the place to go ... to be able to smoke," Mills said. While people can move away from smokers, "they shouldn't have to," Mills said.
The vote Monday reflects a growing local and national trend to restrict smoking in public, outdoor locations. New York City bans smoking at public parks and beaches and New Jersey state lawmakers are considering a similar ban.
Rehoboth commissioners adopted the smoking restrictions at a special meeting on Monday morning.
Mills said the goal is to reduce litter, pollution and health risks.
Curson said that although he hoped for an all-out smoking ban on the beach, he believes that the limited smoking areas are a step forward.
"I can live with that," Curson said. "I'm very pleased they moved as quickly as they did."
Over time, commissioners may be able to extend it to an all-out ban on the beach, he said.
The initiative would be funded using $12,000 currently in the budget to update signs, along with an additional $9,000 in city funds.
The city also hopes to get $10,000 through a grant from the American Lung Association. Mills said he sent in a proposal to the association, which was tentatively approved for up to $15,000.
The ban will not include e-cigarettes, which Mayor Sam Cooper argued was in line with the purpose of the proposal.
"The premise of this ordinance fits that. There's no litter, you use it over and over again, and there's no smoke," Cooper said.
The city manager will come up with the designated smoking areas, Mills said. The ordinance allows for up to 20 that would be designated during the peak season from May 1 through Sept. 30. No more than four designated smoking areas would be allowed in the offseason.
The smoking areas will be at least 40 feet from beach access areas, Mills said. Smokers will find them up near the edge of the sand dunes, and will they will be small – about the size of about four beach towels. They will be marked with signs and equipped with urns to dispose of butts.
"Education is the key to voluntary compliance," Mills said.
Mills said he did not expect the city's police department to enforce the new ordinance with a heavy hand, hoping 99 percent of people would willingly comply. For those who do not, there would be a $25 fine.
Curson said he was pleased the commissioners extended the ban to the boardwalk.
"You might as well be smoking yourself," if you are walking on the boardwalk behind someone who is, he said.
Curson's mother died from lung cancer about six years ago, but he said that wasn't his motivation.
"I felt I was doing it more for the children," he said.