El Rio, Zeitgeist and more push back on new SF bar ordinance

Key Points:

• San Francisco District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar has proposed an ordinance to ban smoking on bar patios, which could affect around 50 bars if passed by the Land Use and Transportation Committee and the full Board of Supervisors.
• Several bar owners and advocacy groups criticize the proposal for lack of community outreach and express concerns about the negative impact on their businesses, with 13 bars launching a petition opposing the ban that has gathered nearly 1,500 signatures.
• Current regulations already prohibit smoking on restaurant patios, but many bars argue that removing the choice to allow smoking on patios hurts their business culture and customer experience, with some fearing the new rules would create enforcement challenges and reduce revenue.
• The ordinance aligns with similar smoking bans in other California cities and is supported by a UCSF study showing unhealthy air quality on many bar patios; it also aims to enforce state smoking laws more strictly, affecting some businesses that currently operate under exemptions.
• An amendment would provide nine months for the Department of Health to assist with implementation, but some bar owners worry the regulations could threaten their survival, particularly businesses like the Occidental Cigar Club that face difficult compliance choices.