Last night, the Tavern Association was lobbying commissioners to change the City Ordinance banning smoking within 20 feet of a building.

There are mixed feelings about whether or not that's a good idea.

While some local bars and restaurants say they're hurting from the city ordinance, City Attorney Chad Parker thinks health trumps those concerns.

“The intent and purpose of this is to protect the publics right to not breathe smoke filled air. And so what do you do with that? Is there a right to smoke - no. There's no recognized right to smoke. There's a desire to smoke - we understand that. We also understand there's an addiction,” Parker said.

The Tavern Association says one of the major issues with this 20 foot ordinance is how to enforce it. In the first place, many bars and restaurants aren't even aware that it exists and neither are their customers. They also claim sales have gone down 5 percent under the ordinance, and some local businesses recognize that concern.

“For business, I know that it has brought less business for some people - but it's not always going to be like that. Once people get used to the fact that it is non-smoking, it's not going to bother them down the road. I mean maybe except for the bars when drinking and smoking comes hand in hand,” said Rebecka Lewis of local restaurant and bar The Breaks – which itself has had a smoking ban even before the Clean Air Act.

The city attorney also mentioned that the opinion of the people will be key in any decisions made regarding this ordinance.

NewsChannel 5 did reach out to several other local bars and restaurants for this story, but they refused to appear on camera for comment.