By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(May 23, 2019) The Ocean Pines Clubs Committee came to no final conclusions during its discussion last Thursday about a 25-foot no smoking restriction near the Yacht Club and Ocean Pines Beach Clubs’ pools, restaurants and tiki bar.

The committee’s consideration of restrictions was prompted by an unnamed resident’s concerns about secondhand smoke in those areas.

“The local resident was asking us to look into a no-smoking rule, specifically at the Beach Club,” Chairman Gary Miller said. “Last season, there were ashtray buckets on the deck, and people were smoking on the deck.”

Some members pointed to policies followed by other municipalities, such as Ocean City, which has strictly limited or outright banned smoking in certain areas.

However, other members expressed concerns about being too harsh with the regulation of smoking.

“I have an issue with making it so restrictive on people who do smoke, because I wouldn’t want somebody smoking right outside [a] door, because it will filter in,” committee member Cheryl Jacobs said. “They’re going to smell like it when they come in and there was a complaint … when I was on the board about that very thing. But I’d hate to make it so restrictive to those who smoke.”

Suggestions were also made to consider maybe creating a designated smoking area, or gazebo, as board liaison Tom Piatti said.

Smoking limitations would also be extended toward cigars, cannabis products and vaping, the committee simultaneously agreed.

“The goal is to not have people walk through smoke to get to the restaurant or pool,” Miller said. “We don’t want the smoking area to be near the tiki bar or the pool. We don’t want anything which uses a smoke-generating apparatus.”

The clubs committee also wants to gather some information and suggestions from the Matt Ortt Group, which runs both the Yacht and Beach Clubs.