BLOOMINGTON - So far no smokers have been ticketed by police in the Twin Cities' smoking ban, and 39 taverns and restaurants in Bloomington have temporary exemptions.

The indoor smoking ban began Jan. 1 in Normal, Bloomington and unincorporated areas of McLean County.

By Wednesday, police in Normal and Bloomington as well as the McLean County Sheriff's Department all reported that no tickets have been written for violations of the ban.

"No, we haven't written anything yet," Bloomington police spokesman David White said Wednesday afternoon.

Police will enforce the ordinance only if someone makes a complaint.

Meanwhile, 39 taverns and restaurants in the city have been issued a two-month exemption to the ban. Those businesses have notified the city they will be building or modifying an outdoor patio space where smoking will be allowed.

The city's Planning and Code Enforcement Department mailed out bright orange signs business owners can place in the front door indicating they are temporarily exempt from the ban. The deadline to seek the exemption was Dec. 29.

The final list includes 25 taverns, 11 restaurants and three clubs.

Planning department Director Mark Huber said four other businesses requested the exemptions, but those businesses currently have outdoor patios that meet the city's codes and there is no intention to modify those spaces further.

One business that is in the process of finishing an outdoor patio will have an exemption until one week after its building permit expires in late January.

"There were other places that asked for the exemption but they didn't have the space to build so they didn't qualify," Huber said.

With the exemptions granted, the 39 businesses now have to submit building plans to Huber's office before March 1.

If the building plans are approved, the business will be granted an extension to the temporary exemption. That extension will expire when the patio is completed or July 1, whichever comes first.

In addition to meeting building codes for their plans, the liquor license holders will have to ask the Bloomington Liquor Commission to expand their license to cover the new area.

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Smoking ban temporary exemptions

For the next two months smoking will be allowed in 39 taverns and restaurants in the city of Bloomington. These are the businesses out of the city's total 183 liquor licenses holders that were given a temporary exemption because they intent to build an outdoor patio. A total of 109 liquor license issued in the city are for taverns and restaurants. The following liquor license holders received a temporary exemption and will be allowed to have smoking until March 1.

A&P Tap, 721 W. Chestnut St.

American Hungarian Family Society, 1520 N. Calhoun St.

Bonker's Place, 1507 S. Main St.

The Caboose, 608 W. Seminary St.

Central Station, 220 E. Front St.

Cheeks Bar and Grill, 1206 Towanda Ave.

CII East Lounge, 102 S. East St.

Clarion Hotel restaurant, 1219 Holiday Lane

Coconut Louie's, 2303 E. Washington St.

Coppertop Lounge, 1107 W. Locust St.

Da Bar, 1504 Morrissey Drive.

Daddio's, 525 N. Main St.

Diggers, 230 E. Front St.

Elroy's, 102 W. Washington St.

Fat Jack's, 511 N. Main St.

Fraternal Order of Eagles, 311-313 S. Main St.

Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant, 3002 B Gill St.

Illinois Brewing Company, Suite 111, 102 N. Center St.

Jim's Steak House, 2307 E. Washington St.

Killarney's Irish Pub, 523 N. Main St.

The Last Lap, 1035 Wylie Drive.

Mugsy's Pub, 1310 N. Main St.

Mulligan's, 531 N. Main St.

Nooner's, 802 W. Front St.

Ozark House, 704 S. McGregor St.

Parkview Inn, 1001 S. Morris Ave.

Paulie's, 612 N. Main St.

Pheasant Lanes, 804 N. Hershey Road - Exempt only until end of January.

Pub I, 505 W. Market St.

Schooners, 810 E. Grove St.

Shooter's Lounge, 503 N. Prospect Road.

Slick Rick's Motor City Saloon, 907 E. Oakland Ave.

Sport Bait and Lounge, 304 N. Morris Ave.

Times Past Inn, 1216 Towanda Ave.

Tree House Lounge, 2060 Ireland Grove Road.

VFW Post 454, 1006 E. Lincoln St.

Western Avenue Tap, 1301 N. Western Ave.

Windjammer Lounge, 2303 Stern Drive.

Winners Lounge, 801 S. Main St.

Yankee Doodle, 1407 Morrissey Drive.