Norman City Council members unanimously approved a city ordinance Tuesday banning smoking and tobacco use in city parks.

Councilman Doug Cubberley, who suffers from asthma, has advocated for the tobacco ban in parks for more than two years.

“This is a compromise legislation, but it is a leap forward,” Cubberley said. “The compromise is at this time that Westwood [Golf Course] is not included. There is also a compromise that the parking lots are not included. Again, it’s not perfect, but what are we going for in this legislation? It’s the public health, and it’s the example that we are teaching our children.”

The ordinance exempts Westwood Golf Course, although it is also owned by the city, and parking lots surrounding parks. Officials said the golf course was excluded from the ordinance because not as many people were directly affected by smoking on the course.

City officials said 76 percent of residents surveyed supported a ban on smoking in the parks, and 70 percent supported a ban at Westwood Golf Course.

Council member Bob Thompson said he worried an ordinance might impend on the individual freedoms of smokers, but he thought it was necessary since residents were not adhering to the anti-smoking resolution already in place.

“There isn’t anybody up here that would consider defending the idea of smoking in front of children and setting a bad example for children,” Thompson said. “The most difficult question here is, in my opinion, a question of people’s individual liberties, and in so far as the smoking affects other people’s health, then liberties are appropriately conceded. My support for this is yet again one of compromise because I don’t like the infringement on liberty that this suggests as an ordinance.”

Norman is the third city in Oklahoma to ban tobacco use in public parks, following Noble and Owasso.

The council also approved an ordinance requiring bicycle racks on any new residential or commercial which has at least eight parking spaces.

Additionally, one bicycle rack for each 10 additional parking spaces is required in residential buildings, and one bicycle space for every 20 parking spaces in non-residential properties.

The bicycle parking ordinance passed with a vote of 7-2, with council members Thompson and Ezzell opposing.