Following in Madison's controversial footsteps, the city of Fitchburg plans to consider a smoking ban in restaurants and bars.
A smoking ban in Fitchburg may change business for bars on the southern edge of Madison and add Fitchburg to a growing list of Wisconsin municipalities that have instituted similar bans.
The ordinance, which will be written primarily by Fitchburg City Council member Richard Bloomquist, is still in its conceptual phases.
'The bars and restaurants, under the proposal, will be smoke free. All of them,' Bloomquist said. The only exception he plans to propose is for the lone cigar bar in Fitchburg.
Council member Steven Arnold predicted the proposal would come before the Fitchburg City Council within the next two months. He also had additional ideas of what the ban could entail.
For instance, Arnold held open the possibility of additional exemptions for some Fitchburg businesses. But, he claimed, the ban would still be in effect. 'Not everybody could allow smoking,' Arnold said.
Arnold also saw the possibility of the growth of the smoking ban, which could eventually outlaw smoking in nearly all Fitchburg businesses. 'Once we've forced a minimum number of establishments to become smoke free, we can let the general preferences of the population start to work,' Arnold said.
Advocates of the ban will certainly debate these and many other ideas on exactly how to regulate smoking, but opponents worry that any type of regulation could be detrimental to Fitchburg businesses.
'I also have to take care of the businesses of the community,' Fitchburg Mayor Thomas Clauden said. 'The city of Fitchburg has worked very hard to get good businesses, to get people to come here, and to have a smoking ordinance right now, I personally don't think we need it.'
One of the main business concerns stems from the fear of a smoke-free Dane County, potentially driving business elsewhere.
'Let's have a state ban?? I have no problem with that?? but to start taking these communities like this is going to be tough [on businesses],' Clauden said.
Fitchburg Council member Scott Norton agreed. 'If it were to be?? a statewide ban, then maybe I would have come closer to supporting it because then it would be more of an equal playing field,' he said.
Concerned Fitchburg residents have had the opportunity to express their opinions on the possible ban. Two forums have been held for both businesses and citizens, Council President Tom Darcy said.
Darcy described the Fitchburg population as split over the potential smoking ban. 'There are some pretty strong, vocal folks that are against it, as you'd expect, and there are some that are vehemently for it,' he said. 'It's pretty contentious.'
