Surfside passes smoking ban

July 25, 2007

Town council votes 4-3 to forbid smoking near or on public property

By Jonathan Tressler
The Sun News

Surfside Beach town council on Tuesday voted to ban smoking in public buildings and on beaches.

It's the first Grand Strand municipality to make such a controversial move.

The council voted 4-3 for the measure, which was introduced in April by councilwoman Judy Tuttle.

Tuttle said the council on Tuesday night amended the law to include a ban on smoking in all public buildings, within 30 feet from buildings' entrances, on beaches and beach walk-overs, in recreational facilities and parks.

After the amendments were agreed upon, Tuttle, councilmen Bill McKown, Sammy Truett and Joseph Martin voted in favor of the ordinance, while Mayor Roy Hyman, Councilwoman Rebecca Hiatt and Councilman Doug Samples voted against.

Tuttle said the ordinance will go into effect Oct. 1.

She said a provision that would have given businesses a chance to file for a 30-day extension before observing the smoking ban was removed.

The meeting was attended by a standing-room-only crowd, Tuttle said, and the outpouring of public comment on the smoking ban lasted about 45 minutes.

A similar debate is under way in Conway, where the council on Monday put off the issue while they consider alternatives to an outright ban of smoking in businesses.

Contact JONATHAN TRESSLER at 444-1723 or jtressler@thesunnews.com.