Alexandria, VA considers unique smoking ban _ through zoning

[Doondoo]

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) -- Alexandria officials, who have been frustrated by the lack of a statewide restaurant smoking ban, have come up with a new, creative plan to stop people from lighting up inside the establishments.

The city, located just outside the nation's capital, would use its own zoning authority to create a local ban. For example, the city would require a bar or restaurant to be smoke-free to get a permit. Restaurants with permits would have to agree to go smoke-free in three months or risk future restrictions or even closure.

If Alexandria succeeds, it would become the first locality in the state to bar restaurant smoking. Other jurisdictions have been unable to bar smoking because local governments in the state do not have the authority to create outright smoking bans in restaurants and bars. In Virginia, a tobacco state, smoking bans have been a tough sell. This year, the state legislature considered several proposals to restrict smoking in public places but ended up with a measure that requires restaurants that allow smoking to post signs.

In Alexandria, officials decided to use "creative, outside-the-box" thinking to come up with a solution, said Mayor William D. Euille.

"This is something we all wanted," Euille said. "It would be nice if the state would mandate and make it happen. But obviously they're passing the buck on this ... so we need to move forward to do what we need to do, and we found the loophole to do it."


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