It’s illegal to drink beer in public
or any other intoxicating beverage for that matter.
SECTION 8-120. DRINKING ON STREET OR PLAYGROUND. (a) No person shall drink any beer, wine or other intoxicating beverage on any street, sidewalk, pedestrian mall, alley, highway, playground, parking lot open to the general public or other lot open to the general public. (b) Subsection (a) of this section shall not be deemed to make punishable an act or acts which are prohibited by any statute of the State of California. (c) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any person in an encroachment area posted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section during business hours of the permittee restaurant. (d) The operator of any restaurant which serves any beer, wine, or other intoxicating beverage for consumption in an area operated for restaurant purposes on any street, sidewalk, or pedestrian mall pursuant to an encroachment permit issued by the Council shall post and maintain signs in or adjacent to the encroachment area reasonably calculated to give notice of the limits of the area and the exception contained in subsection (c) of this section. The number, content, physical features, and locations of such signs shall be only as approved by the Police Chief. The external boundaries of any encroachment area in which intoxicating beverages may be consumed shall be clearly designated by a painted line referred to in the signs. (e) Subsection (a) of this section shall only apply to a parking lot or other lot open to the general public if: (1) Pursuant to the property owner’s written request, the Police Chief has determined that the lot is open to the general public, and (2) The owner or operator has posted in a conspicuous place at each entrance to the lot a notice, approved by the Police Chief, to the effect that the lot is subject to the provisions of this section. (f) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the Parks and Recreation Director may authorize the consumption of alcoholic beverages during an event of limited duration held in a mall area as defined in Section 11-109 of this Code and conducted by an organization when the event is for the benefit of a nonprofit organization, a charitable purpose, or the city. (Orig. Ord. 4028; Am. Ord. 6146, 1962; Am. Ord. 72-109, 1972; Am. Ord. 82-10, §§ 1, 2, eff. 2-19-82; Am. Ord. 84-82, § 1, eff. 7-13-84).
Related Stupid Laws, Crazy Laws, and just plain Stupid Laws:
- Don’t drink beer too fast while standing
- Drinking beer out of a bucket while sitting on any city street is illegal
- 2 Liters of Beer is the Maximum sized container allowed.
- Don’t dare a child to buy beer.
- This Bud is not for you
Leave a comment
arg. i fucking hate this law. sometimes i’d like to just drink wine or a beer at the beach or park.
[Reply]
coolio
April 18, 2009
Yeah, it’s considered public intoxication. You have to drink alcohol inside a bar, restraunt or your home.
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Mindy
August 30, 2009
Laws like this are necessity, because many beer drinkers don’t know how to behave. Basically, if you can’t handle the alcohol then you shouldn’t be drinking it, and not subjecting the rest of the community to your unspeakable behaviour.
[Reply]
Jake
May 31, 2010
@Jake: your comment is irrelevant. What should be forbidden is to disturb the public order when you’re drunk. If someone drinks without disturbing anyone, then I don’t see any issue.
[Reply]
chap
August 14, 2010
This law is ridiculous. I can’t even go fishing and have a couple beers without getting a ticket.
[Reply]
sully
February 20, 2011
Does that law also applies in texas? i got some durty neightbors in my apt complex., after they get all drunk they leave the empty bottles all aroud the cars
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aniceto
March 30, 2011
This is a good law. Then we don’t have crazy drunk people out on our streets killing people.
[Reply]
Lee
April 13, 2011
The only stupid thing about this law is that it doesn’t require person(s) who consumed intoxicating beverage(s) to remain within the boundaries of the establishment where it is permitted to legally drink until the effects wear off. It should be illegal to leave an drinking place intoxicated.
[Reply]
Nana
September 18, 2011
I think it could be nice to be able to drink in a public place–like a park. But just because you want something doesn’t mean the restriction is stupid. If people were allowed, I feel certain that there would be more litter. Though illegal, people still bring drinks with them in places with plenty of trash cans and still trash the place. Not a nice way to treat a park paid for with everyone’s money. Also, people might feel it is an invitation to just get sloppy drunk wherever they’d like. It might be unusual, but I’m sure it would become more frequent. Sorry, but we earn this stuff!
[Reply]
C
September 24, 2011