Ordinance No. 2023-02 | Amending Chapter 19B - Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events | Adopted 02/27/2023ORDINANCE NO. 2023-02
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY
AMENDING CHAPTER 19B OF THE GILROY CITY CODE RELATING TO
SMOKING POLLUTION CONTROL TO PROHIBIT SMOKING AT MULTI-
FAMILY HOUSING PROPERTIES AND PUBLIC EVENTS EXCEPT IN
DESIGNATED AREAS
WHEREAS, the City of Gilroy (City) is a municipal corporation, duly organized
under the constitution and laws of the State of California ; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Surgeon General has concluded that there is no risk-free
level of exposure to secondhand smoke and the California Air Resources Board identified
secondhand smoke as a toxic air contaminant for which there is no safe level of exposure;
and
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control, secondhand smoke is
responsible for an estimated 34,000 heart disease-related and 7,300 lung cancer-related
deaths among adult nonsmokers each year; and
WHEREAS, in children, secondhand smoke causes ear infections, more frequent
and severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, and increases the risk of Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIS); and
WHEREAS, research demonstrates that secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing
can and does transfer between units, creeping under doorways and through wall cracks;
and
WHEREAS, harmful residues from tobacco smoke can be absorbed by and cling
to virtually all indoor surfaces long after smoking has stopped and then be emitted back
into the air, making this a potential health hazard; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 118910,
California cities and counties have the legal authority to adopt local laws that prohibit all
tobacco use indoors and outdoors in areas not already covered by state law; and
WHEREAS, to provide for the public health, safety, and welfare by discouraging
the inherently dangerous behavior of smoking around non -tobacco users, especially
children, to protect the public from exposure to secondhand smoke where they live, work,
and play, and to protect the public from nonconsensual exposure to secondhand smoke
in and around their homes, the City desires to amend and add new sections to Chapter
19B of the Gilroy City Code relating to smoking within multi-unit housing properties and
at public events.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY DOES
HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I
The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference.
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 2 of 8
SECTION II
That Section 19B.1, entitled “Definitions”, shall be amended to read as follows.
19B.1 Definitions.
These definitions are not intended to be used in interpretation of the City’s Zoning Code
or any other provisions of the Gilroy City Code except as used in this Chapter. The
following words and phrases, whenever used in this chapter, shall be construed as
follows:
“Bar” means any area or a room utilized primarily for the sale of intoxicating liquors for
consumption by guests on the premises and in which the sale of food and the provision
of entertainment are merely incidental to the sale of intoxicating liquors.
“Common Area” means every area of a Multi-unit Residence that residents of more than
one unit are entitled to enter or use, including, but not limited to, halls, pathways, lobbies,
courtyards, elevators, stairs, community rooms, playgrounds, gym facilities, swimming
pools, parking garages, parking lots, grassy or landscaped areas, restrooms, laundry
rooms, cooking areas, and eating areas.
“Employee” means any person who is employed by an employer in consideration for
direct or indirect monetary wages or profit.
“Employer” means any person who employs the services of an individual person.
"Enclosed area" means an area in which outside air cannot circulate freely to a ll parts of
the area, and includes an area that has any type of overhead cover whether or not that
cover includes vents or other openings and at least three walls or other vertical
boundaries of any height whether or not those boundaries include vents or o ther
openings; or four walls or other vertical boundaries that exceed six feet in height whether
or not those boundaries include vents or other openings.
“Multi-unit Residence” means property containing two or more attached units, including,
but not limited to, apartment buildings, condominiums, duplexes and triplexes, attached
single-family homes, senior and assisted living facilities, and long -term health care
facilities. “Multi-unit Residences” do not include the following:
1. a hotel or motel that meets the requirements of California Civil Code section
1940(b)(2);
2. a mobile home park;
3. a campground; and
4. a detached single-family home with or without an attached or detached accessory
dwelling unit, junior accessory dwelling unit, or second unit.
“Open to the public” means available for use by or accessible to the general public during
the normal course of business conducted by either private or public entities.
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 3 of 8
“Park” means a park, playground, swimming pool, recreation center or any other area in
the city, owned or used by the city and devoted to active or passive recreation, with the
exceptions that “park” does not include the Gilroy Municipal Golf Course, Gilroy Gardens,
or Christmas Hill Park during the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
"Person" means any natural person, business, cooperative association, nonprofit entity,
personal representative, receiver, trustee, assignee, or other legal entity including
government agencies.
"Public event" means any event which may be open to or attended by the general public,
including a farmer’s market, parade, craft fair, or similar event. Public events may be
located within an enclosed or unenclosed area to which the public is invited or in which
the public is permitted. Smoking is permitted on streets and sidewalks being used in a
traditional capacity as pedestrian or vehicular thoroughfares, unless it is being used in
association with a public event, or otherwise prohibited by this chapter or other law. The
prohibition of smoking at public events includes the full area permitted or identified as the
boundaries of the public event, plus a reasonable distance area from the boundary of the
event, as defined in this chapter.
“Restaurant” means any coffee shop, cafeteria, short order cafe, luncheonette, tavern,
cocktail lounge, sandwich stand, soda fountain, private school cafeteria or eating
establishment, and any other eating establishment, organization, club (including veterans
club), boarding house, or guesthouse, the primary function of which is to give, sell or offer
for sale food to the public, guests, patrons, or employees, except that the term “restaurant”
shall not include a tavern or a cocktail lounge if said tavern or cocktail lounge is a bar as
defined in this section.
"Reasonable Distance" means a distance of twenty-five (25) feet in any direction from
any doorway, window opening, crack, or vent of any area where smoking is prohibited
under of this chapter. Nothing in this definition shall limit or reduce the minimum smoking
prohibition distance requirements for any publicly owned or utilized building or structure,
subject to state or federal regulations.
“Smoke” or “smoking” means and includes inhaling or exhaling upon, burning or carrying
any lighted smoking equipment for tobacco, or any other plant or product used f or the
personal habit commonly known as smoking.
"Unenclosed area" means any area that is not an enclosed area.
“Unit” means a personal dwelling space, even one lacking cooking facilities or private
plumbing facilities, and includes any associated exclusive-use area, such as a private
balcony, porch, deck, or patio. “Unit” includes, without limitation, an apartment; a
condominium; a townhouse; a room in a senior facility; a room in a long-term health care
facility, assisted living facility, community care facility, or hospital; a room in a hotel or
motel; a dormitory room; a room in a single-room occupancy facility; a room in a homeless
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 4 of 8
shelter; a mobile home; a camper vehicle or tent; a single-family home; and an accessory
dwelling unit, junior accessory dwelling unit, or second unit.
SECTION III
That Section 19B.2 shall be amended to read as follows.
19B.2 Smoking prohibited.
Labor Code Section 6404.5 prohibits smoking in enclosed places of employment (as
defined in that code section) in the State of California. In addition, pursuant to Labor Code
Section 6404.5, local governments retain the right to adopt and imp lement stricter anti-
smoking requirements than are imposed pursuant to Labor Code Section 6404.5,
including the right to regulate and prohibit smoking in any area not defined as a place of
employment or in which smoking is not regulated pursuant to Labor Code Section 6404.5.
This chapter is intended to supplement the provisions of Labor Code Section 6404.5. All
places within the city shall be subject to the provisions of Labor Code Section 6404.5, as
such section may be amended or recodified from time to time. In addition, smoking is
prohibited in all of the following places within the city:
(1) Outdoor Eating Areas. Fifty (50) percent of outdoor eating areas for all restaurants,
which shall be reserved for nonsmokers.
(2) Elevators. Elevators in buildings generally open to and used by the public, including
elevators in apartment buildings, irrespective of the number of living units in such
apartment buildings.
(3) Hospitals and Health Care Facilities. Every public and private health care facility
including, but not limited to, hospitals, clinics, and physicians and dentists offices,
provided that smoking is permitted in patient smoking areas of long -term health care
facilities, as defined in Section 1418 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4) Places of Public Assembly. Hearing rooms or places of public assembly owned by the
city or in which the business of the city, or any of its boards or commissions, is conducted.
(5) Public Lobbies, Public Hallways. Waiting rooms, lobbies and public hallways of every
building under direct or indirect control of the city.
(6) Museums, Libraries, Galleries. All museums, libraries and galleries.
(7) Designated Nonsmoking Areas. Any area of any business, governmental or charitable
establishment which has been designated by the owner or person in charge of such
establishment as a nonsmoking area and marked with a nonsmoking sign or signs.
Exceptions set forth later in this chapter shall not apply to this subsection.
(8) Public Restrooms. Public restrooms.
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 5 of 8
(9) Parks. Parks grounds and parking lot(s).
(10) Public Events as defined in Section 19B.1.
(11) Multi-unit housing as regulated by Section 19B.6.
SECTION IV
That Section 19B.6 shall be added to read as follows.
19B.6 Smoking prohibited - multi-unit housing
(a) Beginning April 1, 2023, smoking is prohibited and no person shall smoke inside any
new or existing unit of a Multi-unit Residence, in any enclosed or unenclosed Common
Area of a Multi-unit Residence, or within a Reasonable Distance of any operable doorway,
window, opening, or vent of a Multi-unit Residence.
(b) Smoking is prohibited in Multi-unit Residences as provided in subsection (a) of this
section, except that a person with legal control over a Common Area, or authorized
representative, may designate a portion of the common area as a designated smoking
area; provided, that at all times the designated smoking area complies with subsection
(c) of this section.
(c) Designated Smoking Areas in Multi-unit Residences. A designated smoking area shall:
1. Be an Unenclosed Area;
2. Be a Reasonable Distance from Unenclosed Areas primarily used by children and
unenclosed areas with improvements that facilitate physical activity including, for
example, playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, and school campuses;
3. Be a Reasonable Distance in any direction from any operable doorway, window,
opening or other vent into an enclosed area that is located at the Multi -unit
Residence and is a Nonsmoking Area;
4. Be a Reasonable Distance in any direction from a Nonsmoking Area and/or any
operable doorway, window, opening or other vent into an enclosed area of
adjacent private property;
5. Have a clearly marked perimeter;
6. Have a receptacle for cigarette butts that is emptied and maintained; and
7. Be identified by conspicuous signs.
(d) Smoking is prohibited in adjacent unenclosed property within a Reasonable Distance
in any direction of any doorway, window, opening, or other vent into an enclosed area of
a Multi-unit Residence.
(e) Common Areas Free from Smoking Waste. Persons with legal control over common
areas in Multi-unit Residences, and their authorized representatives, shall ensure that all
Common Areas except those meeting the requirements of subsection (C) of t his section
remain free of Smoking and tobacco waste, and ash trays, ash cans, or other receptacles
designed for or primarily used for disposal of smoking and tobacco waste.
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 6 of 8
(f) Signage. “No smoking” signs shall be posted as required by Section 19B.4 of t his
chapter but are not required inside any unit of a Multi-unit Residence. Signs shall be
maintained by the person or persons with legal control over the common areas or the
authorized representative of such person.
(g) Lease Terms. Every lease or other rental agreement for the occupancy of a new or
existing unit in a Multi-unit Residence entered into, renewed, or continued month -to-
month after April 1, 2023 shall include the following:
1. A clause providing that it is a material breach of the agreement to Smoke or allow
Smoking:
a. in the Unit, including exclusive-use areas such as balconies, porches, or
patios; and
b. in any Common Area of the Multi-unit Residence other than a designated
Smoking area.
2. A description of and/or image depicting the location(s) of any designated Smoking
area(s) on the property, if any.
3. A clause expressly conveying third-party beneficiary status to all occupants of the
Multi-unit Residence as to the Smoking provisions of the lease or other rental
agreement. Such a clause shall provide that any tenant of the Multi-unit Residence
may sue another tenant/owner to enforce the Smoking provisions of the agreement
but that no tenant shall have the right to evict another tenant for a breach of the
Smoking provisions of the agreement.
(h) Whether or not a landlord complies with subsection (g) of this section, the clauses
required by that subsection shall be implied and incorporated by law into every agreement
to which subsection (g) of this section applies and shall become effective as of the earliest
possible date on which the landlord could have made the insertions pursuant to
subsection (g) of this section.
(i) Other Requirements and Prohibitions
1. No Person shall dispose of used Smoking waste within the boundaries of an area
in which Smoking is prohibited by this chapter.
2. The presence of Smoking waste receptacles in violation of subsection (i)(1) above
or the absence of signs shall not be a defense to a violation of any provision of this
chapter.
3. Each instance of Smoking in violation of this cha pter shall constitute a separate
violation. For violations other than Smoking, each day of a continuing violation of
this chapter shall constitute a separate violation.
(j) Violation – penalty
1. For violations of this Section 19B.6, the remedies provided by this article are
cumulative and in addition to any other remedies available at law or in equity.
Except as otherwise provided, enforcement of this chapter is at the sole discretion
of the city. Nothing in this chapter shall create a right of action in any person against
the city or its agents to compel public enforcement of this article against any party.
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 7 of 8
2. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this Section 19B.6 shall be guilty
of an infraction and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as pro vided in
Chapter 1.7 or, in the alternative, subject to enforcement action pursuant to
Chapter 6A.13: Administrative citation.
3. Any violation of this Section 19B.6 is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
4. In addition to other remedies provided by this section or otherwise available at law
or in equity, any violation of this section may be remedied by a civil action brought
by the city attorney, including, without limitation, administrative or judicial nuisance
abatement proceedings, civil code enforcement proceedings, and suits for
injunctive relief.
5. Owners, operators, property managers, and officers of homeowners’ associations
for residential properties, whether rental or owner-occupied, are required to post
signs in accordance with Section 19B.4 and provide notice to residents or tenants
of the requirements of this Chapter. Owners, operators, and property managers of
rental property must include the requirements of Section 19B.6(g) in their leases
or other rental agreements. If the owners, operators, property managers, and
officers of rental property and homeowners’ associations for residential properties
have satisfied these requirements, they shall not be responsible for violations of
the requirements of this chapter by tenants or residents, guests , or invitees of
tenants or residents.
SECTION V
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason
held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council of the City of Gilroy hereby declares
that it would have passed and adopted this ordinance, and each section, subsection,
sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections,
subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases may be declared invalid or unconstitutional .
SECTION VI
This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its adoption. The City Clerk is hereby
directed to publish this Ordinance or a summary thereof pursuant to Government Code
Section 36933.
Ordinance No. 2023-02
Amending Chapter 19B – Smoking Prohibitions in Multi-Family Housing and Public Events
City Council Regular Meeting | February 27, 2023
Page 8 of 8
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY this 27th
day of February 2023 by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: ARMENDARIZ, BRACCO, CLINE,
HILTON, MARQUES, TOVAR,
BLANKLEY
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
APPROVED:
Marie Blankley, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________
Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
Marie Blankley (Mar 1, 2023 10:17 PST)
Marie Blankley
CERTIFICATE OF THE CLERK
I, THAI NAM PHAM, City Clerk of the City of Gilroy, do hereby certify that the
attached Ordinance No. 2023-02 is an original ordinance, or true and correct copy of a
city Ordinance, duly adopted by the Council of the City of Gilroy at a Regular Meeting of
said held on Council held Monday, February 27, 2023, at which meeting a quorum was
present.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official
Seal of the City of Gilroy this Monday, February 27, 2023.
____________________________________
Thai Nam Pham, CMC, CPMC
City Clerk of the City of Gilroy
(Seal)