Sonoma County cracks down on smoking

<p>The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Tuesday formally adopted rules banning smoking in most public areas and many private areas in their jurisdiction.</p><p>The rules cover county-owned property, apartments and condominiums, outdoor dining areas and service areas such as ATMs, bank teller windows, ticket lines, bus stops and taxi stands outside city limits.</p><p>Generally, smoking on county property or in common areas outside city limits will be allowed only in designated zones. The rules represent some of the strongest in the region, on par with smoking bans in Sebastopol and Rohnert Park. </p><p>Supervisors approved the rules for multi-unit housing in September. On Tuesday they adopted the entire ordinance, including county property and outdoor restaurant and bar areas.</p><p>The rules take effect on county property and in common areas of apartments and condominiums in November. The ban on smoking inside new multi-housing starts in May; on existing multi-unit housing it begins in January 2013. For unenclosed dining areas, it begins in June next year.</p>