City Says Restaurants Must Designate 25 Percent of Tables for Non-Smokers

Cambridge's non-smokers will get a side order of fresh air with their meals when a new ordinance requiring city restaurants to reserve a quarter of their tables for non-smokers takes effect on July 1.

The Cambridge City Council last night approved the measure, which applies to all restaurants with more than 25 seats, except for bars where the primary sales are alcoholic beverages.

City Councilor David E. Sullivan, who led the drive for the ordinance, cited approval from the state commissioner of public health and "public convenience" as two reasons for passing the motion.

"People at dinner should not have to breathe other people's smoke," Sullivan said last night.

Free Market

The issue of "no smoking" sections in restaurants first arose in 1975, and in 1978 a non-building referendum showed 75 percent of city voters backing a similar resolution, Sullivan said.

After the 1978 vote, the city passed an order requesting that certain tables be set aside for non smokers. Although only some local restaurateurs complied the theory was that the "free market" would decide the issue, with adamant customers housing which restaurants to patronize.

"The free market failed to resolve his problem," Sullivan added.

But last year Mayor Leonard J Russell, who had previously opposed the measure, developed throat cancer. Although a series of operations and chemical treatments restored Russell's health, they changed his views on at least one issue, that of cigarettes.

"I am very affected by smoke now, and that was one of my main reasons for changing my vote on the ordinance," Russell explained last night.

Council power hangs in a tenuous balance between the liberal Cambridge Civic Association (CCA)-affiliated councilors, who favored the smoking ban, and the conservative Independents, who opposed the measure on the grounds that it would unfairly restrict private enterprise.

But when Independent Russell changed his vote, the four CCA councilors won over a fifth vote necessary for the majority required to pass the measure.

Smoke Eaters

The ordinance, however, did not pass without controversy. Councilor Alfred E. Vellucci lobbied hard to exempt businesses that had installed air-freshening devices or smoke eaters", from the retractions Opposition to the ordinance among local restaurant owners and managers came mainly from those who had installed the expensive systems.

In a letter to the council, Patrick Bowe, manager of the Harvest restaurant, said that since he had spent $4000 on his smoke eaters, in compliance with the 1978 request, he should not have to restrict his customers.

Councilors, however, opposed the exemption because the new devices have not been proven to reduce smoke in the air.

But for man, local eateries, the new ordinance will not create a problem. "It's a splendid idea, said John Clements assistant manager of 33 Dunster St. "It poses a great inconvenience to non-smokers when they have smoke in their faces."