Smoking ban proposal gets first reading

The Bloomington City Council officially introduced Councilman Anthony Pizzo's proposed smoking ban at the regular Wednesday night meeting. \nThe first reading of the ordinance was quiet given the controversy the ban is generating -- but that's only because the public comment period on the ordinance starts next Wednesday.\nPizzo, a doctor at Bloomington hospital, is introducing the measure in his last year as councilman. He won't be running for re-election in November. \nThe synopsis of the the ordinance, available in its entirety at the council's Web site, www.ci.bloomington.mn.us, reads simply that the ordinance "would prohibit smoking in all enclosed public places and places of employment."\nThe council will also consider three amendments to the ordinance offered by Councilman Jason Banach. One would "exclude from the smoking regulations any business with patrons and employees who must be at least 18 years of age." Another would delay the date the ordinance would take effect until August 2003 in order to give business owners the opportunity to educate patrons about the change.\nBanach's third amendment exempts "private offices" from the ordinance, defined as "a fully enclosed space, occupied by no more than one person, where smoke is eliminated from the building through ventilation or other technology, without entering any other part of the place of employment."\nAll city council meetings start at 7:30 pm at the Showers Building at 401 N. Morton St.The public can also comment on the proposal at the city council's Web page.