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

The outdoor reach of Chapter 5-37 is narrower than the indoor ban. Section 5-37.06 prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places in the City of Watsonville and then lists specific places that are not enclosed. Subsection (s) covers parks, outdoor recreation areas, and recreational trails, but only where they are specifically designated and identified by appropriate signs as non-smoking. Section 5-37.09(d) confirms the other side: outdoor park and recreation areas and recreational trails are not subject to the chapter except where designated as no-smoking. Subsection (r) bans smoking in shopping malls, except in outdoor malls in specifically designated smoking areas, and subsection (w) covers public parking lots designated by resolution as amended from time to time.

Subsection (u) reaches areas that share air space with a public place where smoking is prohibited, including entries, doorways, open windows, hallways and stairways. Smoking includes electronic smoking devices that create an aerosol or vapor, as well as marijuana and hookahs (§ 5-37.04). No Smoking signs or the international No Smoking symbol must be posted clearly and conspicuously by the owner, operator, manager or other person in control of every place where smoking is regulated (§ 5-37.10), and a park's ban applies only where the designating signs are in place.

Any owner, operator, manager or other person who controls an establishment or facility can declare the whole establishment non-smoking (§ 5-37.06). The City Health Officer administers the chapter, and complaints go to that office (§ 5-37.11).