Image by MGN.

CAPE MAY- While City Council will continue to study the issue of banning smoking on Cape May’s beaches, beachgoers will be able to puff away this summer.

A committee will be assembled to further look at the matter which will include the city manager, Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman, who suggested the smoking ban, and representatives of the police department, beach taggers and beach patrol.

At a previous meeting, council failed to act to ask City Solicitor Tony Monzo to prepare an ordinance banning smoking on the beach.

At a Tue., Feb. 7 meeting, Wichterman said he received “so much favorable comment” on his proposal.Wichterman’s original suggestion of banning smoking on the beach changed to also include the Promenade and city parks at the suggestion of two other council members.

Wichterman noted members of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May spoke at a council meeting suggesting it would keep Canadian tourists away from the city. He said he discovered 17 percent of Canadians smoke while 21 percent of Americans are smokers.

“I’m still in favor of an ordinance to ban smoking on the beaches of the City of Cape May and not getting involved with the Promenade which would become a problem with the new Convention Hall when you have intermission,” he said. “Folks are going to want go out there and smoke.”

Wichterman said Seaside Park had a smoking ban that included beaches and boardwalk and experienced no problems.

Councilwoman Terri Swain said she was not in favor of the smoking ban. She said she received feedback that was not positive on the topic.

Councilman Bill Murray said he received mostly negative comments on a beach smoking ban. He said he had concerns about enforcing such a ban and he wanted to see more details.

Wichterman said the ban would be self enforced. He said smokers would understand where and where they cannot smoke similar to what takes place in bars and restaurants.
A ban would eliminate both litter on the beach and secondhand smoke, said Wichterman.

Councilwoman Deanna Fiocca said she has supported the smoking ban from the beginning but she has heard a 50/50 mix of negative and positive comments.

“If they are not going to smoke on the beach, then they are going to stand on the boardwalk or stand in the street,” she said.

Fiocca said everyone knew what is why like outside a restaurant, hospital or public building where a group of smokers has gathered. She said she had concerns about people walking through a group of smokers at beach entrances.

Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said he shared the views of his fellow councilpersons. He said the ban could be studied for the summer 2013.
The mayor said a ban should not cause enforcement problems or negative publicity for Cape May.

John Cooke, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May, said the organization opposed the all encompassing smoking ban in the past. He said the chamber would be open to working with the committee on a new ban.

Cooke said the chamber was concerned with the " overall negativity of an all out ban." He suggested a buffer zone for smokers 100 yards from the Promenade towards the ocean.