NORTHAMPTON — The Board of Health is looking for the public to weigh in on a proposal to ban outdoor smoking in most areas of Northampton and Florence.
A discussion is scheduled for Thursday’s Board of Health meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. at John F. Kennedy Middle School. A public hearing previously scheduled for Thursday was canceled, and the board will not vote on the ban, according to board member Laurent Levy.
The proposal would ban smoking in public places in both the Northampton Central Business District and the Florence Central Business District. The board is considering designated areas to permit smoking and the ban would not apply to privately held outdoor areas.
The ban is intended to “protect public health, non-smokers, and children from second-hand smoke,” Levy said.
“Most agree that you are better off not breathing smoke when walking down the street, especially in a small area,” Levy said.
As a policy-making body, the Board of Health has the power to enact such a ban by amending its regulations.
The business district in Northampton encompasses Main Street from the intersection of West and Elm Streets to Hawley Street, and from the intersection of Summer Street and King Street down to the intersection of Conz and Pleasant Streets.
Florence’s business district covers from the portion of Route 9 in between Lilly Street and Plymouth Avenue.
Last October, the board held a forum to gather public input on its smoking ban proposal. Levy said Thursday’s discussion will be to shape how the regulation might look.
There would need to be a formal public hearing before the board votes on the proposal.
Issues that arose from October’s forum are still being considered by the board on how to best implement the smoking ban policy. Northampton residents warned that the policy would result in “over-policing” of the homeless population.
“There is a very good concern of over-policing,” Levy said, adding that finding a balance between public rights of the homeless population and improving public health conditions is “a difficult job and we are asking the public on how to proceed.”
The ban would set a fine for offenders, but the fine is yet to be determined, according to Levy.
As for the designated smoking areas, Levy said board members are looking for well-ventilated parts of downtown that would not create another issue for nearby residents, businesses or property owners.
“We want this to be relatively accessible,” Levy said. “Very far from downtown wouldn’t work.”
Luis Fieldman can be reached at lfieldman@gazettenet.com