THOUSAND OAKS : City to Consider Outdoor Seating

Smokers may be able to light up in Thousand Oaks restaurants after all--but only outside, and only if the City Council relaxes the restrictions on outdoor customer seating.

The council Tuesday will decide whether city staff members should draft an ordinance allowing restaurants to add outdoor seats without increasing parking spots.

The city considered writing such a law two years ago, but relegated it to a back burner when more pressing matters arose. Now that a stringent ban prohibits smoking in restaurants, the council will once again take up the issue of outdoor seating.

The ordinance probably would not restrict smoking in sidewalk seating areas, Councilman Frank Schillo said.

“I don’t think we have to get that nit-picky about the whole thing,” Schillo said. “We don’t need to say, ‘If there are four seats, you need to set aside two for nonsmokers.’ We’re getting intrusive enough already.”