Smoking regulations, downtown parking discussed in committee meetings

The public safety committee recommended new smoking regulations at its Nov. 2 meeting. The final version was a compromise after a number of disagreements in last Monday's public hearing.

The proposed regulations, which will go before the council Nov. 9 for a final vote, include banning smoking in all areas of restaurants, hotels and nursing homes. The committee's discussion and vote on the regulations was made in front of a standing-room only audience, both for and against the new prohibitions.

“I think there’s a strong sentiment for the restaurant regulations,” Ward 5 Representative Peter Wright said.

E-cigarettes were classified as smoking devices, and tobacco and vaping shops were given exceptions to allow smoking on premises if 80 percent or more of their business is derived from the sale of tobacco or vaping products.

The committee decided to exempt events in private facilities and private, membership-only clubs from the no-smoking regulation, leaving it up to the facility owners and event sponsors to decide. The vote to recommend the regulation was 4-1, with Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames opposing.

In a planning and development committee meeting that same night, Thames presented the ad hoc parking committee's initial solutions for downtown parking. Thames said there is not land available in the area for the city to purchase or lease. However, the city has already re-striped existing parking and a crosswalk on Central Avenue to make it more visible, and there are other possible sites of on-street parking.

These include the 18th Street South beautification project, which is under discussion, and the possibility of turning Reese Street into a one-way, eastbound street from Central Avenue to Linden Avenue to make room for parking and a potential sidewalk. Thames said an unlikely option would also be to remove the turn lane on 28th Avenue for approximately two blocks to gain parking, but it would likely back up traffic. When a traffic study is done on 18th Street, Thames said the city should have the study look at 28th as well.

Thames and the committee were in favor of opening up more spaces in the SoHo deck by relocating city vehicles and vehicles that had been parked without moving for a long time. There are city ordinances allowing Homewood to give notice to the vehicle owners and tow any that are not moved. This could possibly free up around 30 spaces for customers and employees of downtown businesses.

The committee favored asking businesses to require employees to park in the deck, leaving street spaces for customers. Meredith Drennen with the chamber of commerce said there could be ways to incentivize using the deck.

The final element Thames presented was to make people more aware of existing parking. This included new signage around downtown pointing out the deck and pedestrian access, as well as lighting and beautification for current entrances to the deck.

Thames said he will work on a signage proposal, possibly including sending out an RFP for ideas, and continue looking at other solutions.