A proposed ordinance that would require Longmont restaurants to erase sugary drinks from children’s menus failed to get the backing of a majority of community members who responded to a recent city-sponsored survey on the issue.
A total of 297 people responded to the survey, done by Engage Longmont, and included restaurant owners and community members.
Five business owners indicated they do support the ordinance while four business owners did not support the measure, according to a city staff report. Among community members, 54% (157 respondents) were not in favor of the ordinance while 46% (132 respondents) voiced support.
In March 2020 the city council first considered the ordinance to require Longmont restaurants that serve children’s meals on their menus to offer healthy beverages as the default option. A suggestion for the ordinance was brought forward by St. Vrain Healthy Kids and Healthy Longmont, and Boulder County Public Health.
The groups said the ordinance would help reduce the impact of sugary drinks on childhood obesity, according to the staff report.
The report points out that the ordinance does not prohibit a restaurant from selling - or a customer’s ability to purchase - any other beverage that is available if requested by whomever buys the children’s meal.
The COVID-19 pandemic shelved the proposal until it was brought up again earlier this year by advocates.
Those who favored the proposed ordinance said, in part, that:
- It was an easy way to promote better health
- Many parents don’t realize the impact sugary beverages have on children
- This was a simple way to create change
Recurring themes among those who opposed the ordinance include:
- Let parents make these decisions for their kids
- The city has no right to regulate how people raise their children
- This infringes on freedom, is overreach, and micromanaging.
The Longmont city council is scheduled to review survey results Tuesday night during a regular session. The proposed ordinance is up for a first reading while a second reading, along with a public hearing, is scheduled for Sept. 14.
