Keeping Cigs Off Sidewalks: Whose Job Is It?

Silver Lake Neighborhood Council member Leonardo Chalupowicz had an intriguing post on his Facebook page Monday:

Silver Lake has become a fun place to go out for drinks and dinner, but one of the unintended consequences of this is that customers smoke in the street in front of those establishments, and most of the places don't have a plan in place to responsibly dispose of cigarette butts. They are thrown on the sidewalk or the curb, and the next morning sidewalks get washed and the butts go to the ocean. It would be great if the owners provide ashtrays where people gather to smoke and then sweep and pick up the butts. THANK YOU!

Chalupowicz took the above photo of the curb near Parkman Avenue and Sunset Boulevard and posted it on Facebook to illustrate his point.

A member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council's Urban Design and Preservation Committee, Chaluopowicz says he plans to present a proposal at tonight's meeting to send a letter to business owners regarding the issue.

He also hopes to make such awareness a requirement for new liquor licensees as well.

Is Chalupowicz right:

-Are ashtrays in short supply on smoking patios in Echo Park, Los Feliz and Silver Lake?

-Should establishment owners do a better job of providing ashtrays to patrons and encouraging them to use them?

Tell us in comments what you think.