Fire Department increases smoking ordinance compliance checks
Owners, operators, managers or employees having control over a place of employment, restaurant, public place, enclosed area or other area where smoking is prohibited, and any citizen who desires to register a complaint, may initiate enforcement by calling 311 (One Call to City Hall) Monday ' Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. or on weekends and after hours at 427-1222. The Fort Wayne Fire Department hotline number (427-7665) also remains an option. If the Fire Department and/or Police Department are not involved in other higher priority activities, someone will be dispatched to issue a citation to the offending party. The complaint must be reported within a timely manner after observing the violation.
The City of Fort Wayne Smoking Ordinance prohibits smoking of tobacco products in nearly all Public Places
Enforcement is implemented by the Fort Wayne Fire Department, Fort Wayne Police Department, Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department, Allen County Building Department and Fort Wayne Neighborhood Code Enforcement.
A business that allows a violation is subject to a civil fine of up to $2,500 per day per violation. A person violating the law is subject to a civil fine of $25 for first, $100 for second and $250 for all subsequent violations.
The exemptions to this law are: Retail Tobacco Stores that are not licensed for food or alcoholic beverage consumption; 20 percent of hotel/motel rooms for rent; and, some nursing home rooms.
The entire Ordinance is available on the City of Fort Wayne's website at www.cityoffortwayne.org by visiting the information about the City Clerk's Office and clicking on the link to City Code. After choosing the Frames Option, type the word Smoking in the Quick Search Box.