Pearl Street Mall Smoking Ban Enforcement Begins Today

Enforcement of the ordinance banning smoking along Boulder's Pearl Street Mall begins today, a little more than a week after the first "No Smoking" signs were put up along the pedestrian mall.

The ordinance banning smoking on the Pearl Street Mall between 11th and 15th streets went into effect Jan. 18, but officers only have been giving out warnings since the signs were not ready to be put up due to a delay in manufacturing. The signs finally went up on March 21.

Boulder County also has banned smoking on the lawn of the county courthouse along the mall.

The maximum penalty for a first or second offense within two years is a $500 fine, while a third conviction within two years carries a maximum $1,000 fine and a maximum 90-day jail sentence.

The Downtown Boulder Inc. board, the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Boulder County commissioners all supported the mall smoking ban.

In a memo proposing the ban last year, city officials said smoking on the mall detracts from visitors' experiences and that cigarette butt removal represents a significant amount of work for cleaning crews.

An event celebrating the smoking ban will be held 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 12 in the 1300 block of Pearl Street, where county, city and Downtown Boulder Inc. staff will be available to answer questions about the ban and offer resources for those who wish to quit smoking. ___

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