Agenda Item # 11.2 - Margo Sidener | Received 02/06/2023
Breathe California
of the Bay Area,
Golden Gate, and
Central Coast
1469 Park Avenue
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 998-5865
Toll-Free: 1-877-3-BREATHE
Fax: (408) 998-0578
www.lungsrus.org
info@lungsrus.org
Tax ID#: 94-1156307
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairperson
Amresh Prasad
Secretary
Sulochina Lulla, MD
Treasurer
Justin Henry
Directors
Roslyn Bienenstock, RRT,
MPH
Joann Blessing-Moore, MD
Robert Carr
Thomas M. Dailey, MD,
FCCP
Frank DeBiaso
Sogol Karkouti
Ray Mendoza
Rohan Shamapant
Richard Steadman
Chief Executive Officer
Margo Sidener, MS, CHES
Deputy Executive Director
Tanya Payyappilly, MD,
MPH
A member of the
Breathe America ™
Alliance
February 5, 2023
The Honorable Mayor Marie Blankley
And City Council Members Tovar, Armendariz,
Bracco, Hilton, Cline, and Marques
City of Gilroy, Gilroy City Hall
7351 Rosanna Street
Gilroy, CA 95020
Sent by e-mail: cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org; rebeca.armendariz@cityofgilroy.org;
marie.blankley@ci.gilroy.ca.us; dion.bracco@cityofgilroy.org;
tom.cline@cityofgilroy.org; zachary.hilton@cityofgilroy.org;
carol.marques@cityofgilroy.org; and fred.tovar@cityofgilroy.org.
Dear Mayor and Council Members:
I am writing to urge the Council to strengthen its ordinance that protects Gilroy
residents from secondhand smoke when it comes before you tomorrow night.
We are glad to see that the draft recommendations from staff include both multi-
family housing and also public events. Multi-family housing protections are critical,
especially for vulnerable populations like children, seniors, and people with lung or
heart disease; as we have shared in the past, a neighbor’s smoking is the number one
reason for complaints to our Secondhand Smoke Helpline.
However, we are extremely disappointed to see that smoking will still be permitted in
outdoor dining. The drifting properties of smoke will make these 100% smoking
sections no matter what the percentage is set at. This is no doubt why every other city
in Santa Clara County has chosen to have 100% smoke-free outdoor dining. Please
reconsider going smoke-free in outdoor dining.
Our agency will be glad to help educate the public about the new ordinance and looks
forward to assisting you as requested.
Sincerely,
Margo Sidener, MS, CHES
Chief Executive Officer