Vapers, homeowners weigh in at commission work session

E-cigarette smokers in Manhattan may soon be pushed outdoors as the result of a new ordinance being considered by the city commission. At Tuesday’s city commission work session Jared Wasinger, management assistant, gave the audience a general idea of what an e-cigarette ban would look like.

In 2008 Manhattan was the first community in Kansas to ban cigarettes in public buildings. Since then Kansas has issued its’ own cigarette ban, and Wasinger said an e-tobacco ban would look largely the same. Riley County has a tobacco and e-cigarette ban on all of its’ premises, and the Riley County Health board recommended the city follow suit.

The discussion on tobacco alternatives garnered the attention of doctors, business owners, and “vapers” alike. Commissioners heard varying audience commentary before instructing Wasinger to draft an ordinance. Commissioners will decide at a later date whether or not vaping would still be allowed in the three currently existing “vape bars” in Manhattan. If such an ordinance were to pass, it could be merged with the existing smoking ordinance in 2019.

Manhattan is also in the process of establishing a new sound ordinance. The issue came about following Fake Patty’s day earlier this spring, after Riley county police reported many noise and behavioral disturbances. The current noise ordinance was adopted in 1989 and has not been amended since then.

Kiel Mangus, assistant city manager, presented a first draft of the new ordinance earlier this summer. Mangus was seeking input from the commission at last night’s meeting, and also talked about his recent meetings with RCPD and the Aggieville Business Association.

Commissioners were lobbying for a strict decibel limit to be implemented, but police director Brad Schoen said decibel detectors are expensive devices which are not always useful in a place like Aggieville that has plenty of ambient noise. A concerned citizen also addressed the commission, saying her home in the area surrounding Aggieville is especially prone to noise disturbances from house parties.

The commissioner recommended Mangus begin another draft which would place businesses in commercial districts at a decibel limit of 90db, and also allow law enforcement to use their discretion when considering if a disturbance requires action.