Fresno considers ban on smoking inside rental apartments, condos
Smoking in or around apartments and condos may soon be against the law in Fresno.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Smoking in or around apartments and condos may soon be against the law in Fresno.
On Thursday, a new ordinance sponsored by city council members Tyler Maxwell and Nelson Esparza will be presented to the Fresno City Council.
If passed, the ordinance would make it illegal for people to smoke inside rental units with a shared wall.
Maxwell says many people already suffer from respiratory issues from factors outside of their control, such as bad air quality.
The ordinance would ban cigarettes, vaping, marijuana and cigar smoking indoors.
If a tenant does not comply, they could face a fine.
"We don't allow smoking inside of restaurants. We don't allow smoking within 20 feet of buildings or parks. For some reason, we've allowed it to go on inside apartment complexes where we know that smoke is going through the ventilation system to the families next door, which is not fair to those folks," Maxwell said.
Smoking in private areas, such as balconies or patios, and at swimming pools and other common areas are still up for discussion.
Maxwell says code enforcement would treat potential violations the same way they would treat a barking dog complaint or loud music complaint.
If passed, Maxwell says there would be an educational grace period, and likely no fines would be handed out until next year.
