Smoking in Public Places

Smoking is prohibited in all public places within the city. Public places would include, but not limited to:

• City Parks
• Governmental Offices
• Education facilities
• Retail Stores. other commercial establishments
• Waiting Rooms
• Laundromats
• Elevators
• Airports, bus and train stations or shelters
• Hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers
• Auditoriums, theatres, arenas, assembly and meeting rooms
• Bleachers, stands or other seating facilities for spectators in stadiums or other arenas, enclosed or outdoors, smoking is prohibited.

On March 27, 2006, Governor Bill Owens signed House Bill 06-1175 concerning the enactment of the “Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act,” prohibiting smoking in indoor enclosed areas. The State law is effective as of July 1, 2006. The Grand Junction City Council passed Ordinance No. 3914 (click on Ordinance to read) on June 7, 2006, amending the previous Ordinance regulating smoking in public places, in order to comply with the State law.

Effective on July 1, 2006:
• Smoking will no longer be allowed in free standing bars, physically separated bars located in restaurants, bowling alleys, billiard halls or in bingo halls or other facilities conducting games of chance. Smoking is allowed in outdoor seating areas of restaurants and bars that are not enclosed and are not under a roof or a projection of a roof as defined by the IBC as a roof assembly, such as patios.
• No smoking shall occur within fifteen feet (15) of the front or main doorway leading into a building or facility including patio areas listed above.
• Smoking is prohibited in the indoor areas of a private club.

The following are places where smoking is not prohibited:
• Private homes, private residences, and private automobiles unless the home, residence or vehicle is being used for the public transportation of children or as part of health care or day care transportation.
• A hotel or motel room rented to one or more guests if the total percentage of such hotel or motel rooms in such hotel or motel does not exceed twenty-five percent;
• Any retail tobacco business.
• A place of employment that is not open to the public and that is under the control of an employer that employs three or fewer employees.

Signage

“No Smoking” or “Smoking Allowed Inside” signs must be posted at all main entrances. All signs shall be a minimum of twenty (20") square inches and be placed at a height between four (4') and six (6') feet above the floor. Free signs are available at www.SmokeFreeColorado.org

For questions regarding the ordinance prohibiting smoking in any public place, please call Neighborhood Services 244-1593.

Please take a look at our Smoking Brochure

Thank you for your cooperation in providing clean air for the community.