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Truckee, CA Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Few Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing chapter: TMC Chapter 9.03, Smoking Pollution Control
Scope: Enclosed places only (roof + 4 walls)
Outdoor exemption: TMC § 9.03.160(e)
Indoor examples covered: Restaurants, offices, theaters, elevators
Enforcement outdoors: None under this chapter

Summary

Truckee's smoking ordinance, TMC Chapter 9.03, regulates only 'enclosed' places, defined as closed in by a roof and four walls. Section 9.03.160(e) expressly exempts 'any area exterior to the building in which the establishment or facility is located,' so parks, patios, and other outdoor public spaces carry no local smoking ban.

(e)"Enclosed" means closed in by roof and four walls with appropriate openings for ingress and egress. ... Notwithstanding any other provision of this ... Chapter to the contrary, the following areas shall not be subject to the smoking restrictions of this Chapter: ... (e)Any area exterior to the building in which the establishment or facility is located.

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Full Breakdown

010(f) states its purpose is the regulation of smoking in enclosed places, including places of employment. 020(e) defines as closed in by roof and four walls with appropriate openings for ingress and egress. 160(e) lists any area exterior to the building in which the establishment or facility is located among the places not subject to the smoking restrictions of the Chapter. No other Title in the Municipal Code regulates outdoor smoking in parks, on patios, or on Town trails. 03, whatever restaurants or private landowners may separately choose to post.

Violations & Fines

There is no violation to describe: outdoor areas are affirmatively carved out of Chapter 9.03's smoking restrictions by § 9.03.160(e), so a citation for outdoor smoking cannot be issued under this chapter. A business can still declare its own outdoor seating smoke-free and enforce that as a condition of service under its general property rights, but that is a private policy, not a Town ordinance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is smoking banned in Truckee's parks?

No. TMC Chapter 9.03 only regulates enclosed spaces, defined by § 9.03.020(e) as areas closed in by a roof and four walls, and § 9.03.160(e) specifically exempts any area exterior to a building. Town parks are not enclosed spaces, so they fall outside the chapter.

Can a restaurant let me smoke on its outdoor patio?

Under the Town's own ordinance, yes, an outdoor patio is exterior to the building and exempt under § 9.03.160(e). A restaurant can still choose to prohibit smoking on its patio as a matter of private policy, but the Town Code does not require it to.

Does any part of Truckee's code restrict smoking outdoors?

Not that governs general outdoor public areas. Chapter 9.03's every operative section, from elevators to restaurants to office workplaces, is written to reach enclosed spaces, and § 9.03.160(e) removes exterior areas from its restrictions entirely.

Sources & Official References

[1]Town of Truckee Municipal Code § 9.03.160, Where Smoking Is Not Regulated

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