Snohomish County, WA Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SCC 15.08.126
- Fuel buffer distance
- 100 feet from fueling aircraft
- Applies to
- Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) only
- Penalty basis
- Misdemeanor under SCC 15.08.654(1)
- Enforcing authority
- Airport manager's office
Summary
At Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), lighting up is banned within 100 feet of aircraft being fueled, fuel trucks, or fuel-storage buildings, inside hangars except in marked areas, and anywhere posted "NO SMOKING." Discarding lit smoking materials on airport property draws a fine under SCC 15.08.126.
Smoking is not permitted within 100 feet of aircraft being fueled or defueled. No smoking is permitted within 100 feet of any fuel carrier vehicle or designated buildings where fuel or combustible material is stored. Smoking is not permitted in hangars except in designated areas. Smoking is not permitted in any area where "NO SMOKING" signs are posted. Smoking materials are to be discarded in ash trays or receptacles. Persons discarding lighted smoking materials on airport property are subject to fine.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
126 governs smoking on the grounds of Snohomish County Airport, commonly known as Paine Field, the county-owned airfield in Everett. The rule sets a 100-foot buffer in two directions: no smoking within 100 feet of any aircraft actively being fueled or defueled, and no smoking within 100 feet of a fuel carrier vehicle or any building designated for storing fuel or combustible material. Inside hangars, smoking is confined to areas the airport manager has specifically designated; lighting up anywhere else under a hangar roof is off-limits.
The code also bars smoking wherever a "NO SMOKING" sign has been posted, giving the airport manager authority to close off additional areas as needed. Smokers must extinguish and discard materials in ash trays or other receptacles; the code separately singles out anyone who discards a still-lit cigarette or match on airport property as subject to a fine. 127) that keep gasoline, paints and flammable liquids out of undesignated buildings and bar volatile-liquid floor cleaning in hangars. 100. 651 for anyone who fails to comply with airport safety rules.
The restriction applies only to Snohomish County Airport property; it is not a county-wide ban on smoking in parks, on sidewalks, or on restaurant patios, which unincorporated Snohomish County does not separately regulate.
Violations & Fines
Smoking within 100 feet of fueling operations, fuel trucks, or fuel-storage buildings, in undesignated hangar areas, or in any posted "NO SMOKING" zone violates SCC 15.08.126. Discarding a lit cigarette or match on airport property draws a fine outright. Because the section carries no standalone penalty, SCC 15.08.654(1) makes the violation a misdemeanor punishable under SCC 1.01.100, and airport staff can eject a noncompliant person from the premises under SCC 15.08.651.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Snohomish County ban smoking in parks or on restaurant patios?
How close to a fueling aircraft can I smoke at Paine Field?
What happens if I drop a lit cigarette on airport property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
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