At their regular meeting on July 15, the Lovelock City Council held a public hearing and approved an ordinance prohibiting smoking and tobacco use in public parks, an effort sparked by the Mustang Youth Team (MYT) and supported by several residents.
During the hearing, councilmember Jordan McKinney recalled the community cleanup day she participated in with her children. “We did the Strip Park by ourselves,” she said. “We picked up thousands of cigarette butts.”
The new ordinance classifies smoking in city parks as a civil infraction, not a misdemeanor, allowing for warnings and citations without requiring major legal involvement. Law enforcement officials voiced support, noting it gave them a useful tool without overburdening the system.
Council members agreed that enforcement could be as simple as posting signage, and that the policy would reflect the city’s efforts to make parks cleaner and more family-friendly.
“This won’t cost us anything,” councilwoman Bonnie Skoglie said. “And it helps protect our public spaces.”
Residents were largely supportive, with one pointing out how effective similar signage had been in other communities. Another noted that many locals would be willing to speak up if they saw someone breaking the rule.
The ordinance passed unanimously. Signs indicating smoke-free zones will be posted at all city parks in the coming weeks.
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