SAN MARCOS – New signs telling people where they can smoke in San Marcos parks will be going up soon.

An ordinance restricting smoking to designated areas in the parks went into effect almost two months ago, but the areas were not selected.

This week, the city's Community Services Commission approved designated areas suggested by the city staff. Most parks will have one area, but the larger parks, such as Bradley, will have several spots.

Sheriff's deputies could ticket smokers caught puffing outside those zones. But Craig Sargent-Beach, director of community services, said fining smokers isn't the goal. The emphasis will be on spreading the word about the new ordinance and getting smokers used to the designated areas, he said.

Signs should be posted in late August, Sargent-Beach said. Each of the city's 12 parks will get two or three signs, placed in visible areas such as outside restrooms and main entrances, he said. Other signs with arrows pointing to smoking areas will also be posted.

Sargent-Beach didn't have a cost estimate for the signs.

Signs won't be posted in the city's 14 mini-parks, which include Helen Bougher Memorial Park and several play areas in the Santa Fe Hills neighborhood, because state law prohibits smoking near tot lots, Sargent-Beach said. Mini-parks are about three-fourths of an acre in size, he said.

Hollandia, a 30-acre park under construction, will get designated smoking areas before its scheduled opening in September.

The designated smoking areas are:

Bradley: south of the concession stand on the lower mesa on Linda Vista Drive; near the walkway heading toward the outfield of the upper mesa off Rancho Santa Fe Road; and near the restrooms at the soccer pitch.

Discovery: near the restrooms.

Jack's Pond: between the trash bins and the restrooms, south of the parking lot.

Knob Hill: east of the portable toilets.

Las Posas: near the basketball court and parking lot.

Mission Sports: near the trash bin enclosure by the parking lot at the front entrance.

Montiel: near the portable toilets.

Mulberry: near the southwest corner of the parking lot.

San Elijo: next to the trash enclosure near the community center parking lot; and near the south end of the soccer pitch off Schoolhouse Way.

Simmons Family: near the south end of the parking lot.

Walnut Grove: east of the Williams Barn, and north of the west entrance into the equestrian area.

Woodland Park: west parking lot entrance near the storage building.

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Linda Lou: (760) 737-7574; linda.lou@uniontrib.com