As part of the approved revisions to Decatur’s alcohol ordinance at tonight’s City Commission meeting, the city will soon require a “sidewalk table plan” as part of the annual application process for an alcoholic beverage license.  Part of that ordinance revision includes the addition of Sec. 6.22.g.3…

Smoking is prohibited at tables included in a sidewalk table plan permit area and within five feet of any such area boundary.

The city commission voted in favor of the full ordinance, which means that the sidewalk smoking ban will go in effect for new alcoholic beverage license applicants on January 1, 2012 and renewing applicants on October 1, 2012.

At the commission meeting, Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne assured the commissioners that restaurant owners “know this is coming” and that it was “something we’ve been asked to look at”.

As noted at the meeting, this new ordinance will make it illegal to smoke along rather long stretches of Decatur sidewalks.  Based on responses to questions from Mayor Floyd, it sounds like the ordinance will be in effect 24 hours.