San Bruno considers smoke laws

Last month, parking permits needed to open a hookah bar at 591 San Mateo Ave. were approved. While California law does outlaw smoking inside most businesses, there are exceptions for places like a tobacco shop or a smokers' lounge. Mayor Jim Ruane is not against the hookah bar, however he questioned being asked to support things like cancer awareness while allowing a business to offer smoking on premises for a profit. Tonight the City Council will consider barring smoking inside all new businesses while discussing further regulations approved in other California cities.

"It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to be supporting cancer awareness and encouraging smoking at the same time," said Ruane.

San Bruno will hold a public hearing to discuss banning smoking within businesses that sell tobacco, but would not limit the sale of tobacco. Such a change should not impact the previously approved hookah bar, but would affect future businesses.

Plans in San Bruno call for a hookah lounge at 591 San Mateo Ave., which previously housed a computer repair store, to feature a small reception area and U-shaped sofas in the lounge area. When it opens, the business is proposed to open at 1 p.m. daily closing at midnight Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

There are a number of places within San Mateo County that offer hookah. Locations in Burlingame, Redwood City and Foster City differ, however, in that hookah is acceptable outside or on some type of patio at a restaurant.

Although no action is scheduled for further restrictions, the council will have a chance to discuss stricter regulations like those in Belmont.

In 2006, the Belmont City Council decided to pursue one of the nation's strictest smoking ban and sparked international attention. The ordinance passed declared secondhand smoke a public nuisance and extended the city's ban on smoking to include multi-unit and multi-story residences. The ban that later went into effect requires landlords to put no-smoking clauses into any new or renewed leases. In 2009, Belmont further restricted residents of low-income housing from smoking within their unit -- even if it's a single-family residence.

The council meets 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 13 at the Senior Citizens Center, 1555 Crystal Springs Road in San Bruno.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.