Correction: A news article published on Nov. 13 titled “City Council Bars Booze from Local Beaches” incorrectly stated that FreePB.org was planning to mount a referendum to revoke the alcohol beach ban. In fact, that specific group was not planning such an initiative.
In response to growing concerns about liberal alcohol
policies regulating local beaches, the San Diego City Council voted Nov. 5 to
endorse a yearlong ban that would prohibit drinking at the city’s beaches, bays
and coastal parks.
Councilman Kevin Faulconer, whose district includes
Ocean beaches, pressed for a permanent ban but was unable to rally enough
council support. City Attorney Michael Aguirre then proposed a one-year trial
ban; the compromise passed in a 5-2 vote. Councilman Ben Hueso cast the
deciding vote when he switched in favor of the ban last minute, meeting the
minimum threshold for passage.
Faulconer began his council tenure opposed to such a
regulation, but agreed to establish a Beach Alcohol Task Force to examine the
issue further. After eight months, the committee was united on 21 proposals but
gridlocked over whether to permit drinking on
Motives changed after Labor Day, however, when
a drunken brawl that broke out after a man trying to recover an all-terrain
police vehicle from the surf was arrested. Police officers were pelted with
beer cans and water bottles by the combative mob, and lifeguards had to shut
down four towers and two stations to assist in stopping the fray. Mace, pepper
balls and officers in riot gear finally quelled the unruly crowd.
Faulconer called the event “an embarrassment and a
disgrace,” and said he never wanted to see such behavior again. He has since
been pushing to prohibit drinking at local beaches.
Councilman Tony Young, one of the two councilmembers who
voted against the ban, called the move “draconian” and an “overreaction” to one
specific incident.
“Most people want to come to the beach, have a good time,
have a beer or not have a beer and not commit the terrible acts that opponents
are trying to portray,” Young said.
He cited the 350,000 people and limited law enforcement
present on Labor Day as other major factors — along with alcohol — that
contributed to the scuffle.
Though similar measures are in place up and down the
Southern California coast, La Jolla is currently the only area in
illegal 24 hours a day.
Mayor Jerry Sanders took middle ground on the issue,
proposing that alcohol be barred only on three summer holidays: Memorial Day,
the Fourth of July and Labor Day, when heavy drinking and disorderly conduct
are most excessive. However, Sanders said that a yearlong ban is too
far-reaching.
resident Joe Rogers pointed to small groups of college-age people — generally
from out of town — as the culprits who spoil the fun for all involved. He
mentioned that the traditional
permanently shut down due to accounts of disorderly conduct and public
intoxication.
“The city council has their heads up their butts,”
eliminated everything because of a few people and that’s not right. Zero
tolerance is never right.”
Young and other opponents of the ban worry that such a rule
will infringe on the drinking rights of residents and remove the liberties that
make
beaches unique.
“People who for years and years have enjoyed the beach and
have drank alcohol responsibly won’t be able to do it anymore,” Young said.
“Some of those privileges will be taken away although they have been
responsible in their actions.”
Other residents have praised the motion for addressing
concerns that alcohol is destroying the coastal town’s family atmosphere.
The ban will go into effect one month after a second council
vote slated for next week. But considering the past, the council’s word may not
be final.
In 1991, the council approved a one-year trial ban that was
revoked when opponents gathered ample signatures for a referendum. The city
settled with proposal that restricted
drinking between 8 p.m. and noon.
In 2002, the council attempted to impose an 18-month,
around-the-clock ban from South Mission Jetty to
Signatures were again collected from
Diego
forcing the measure onto the ballot, where it was defeated by a margin of 3,000
votes.
Rob Rynearson of
FreePB.org, told the San Diego Union-Tribune last week that members of his
group are preparing to mount a similar referendum.
Police Chief William Landsowne said that prohibiting alcohol
on beaches would simply push the problem inland to coastal neighborhoods, bars
or city streets, which may be harder to regulate than beaches.
resident Sheila Doshi said the city should outlaw kegs or other devices that
lead to binge drinking, but doubted that a ban — either permanent nor temporary
— would stop people from drinking.
“I don’t think it will solve the problems,” Doshi said. “It
just means that people are going to be more sneaky about it.”
The council will vote next week after hearing public input.
The measure does not currently require the approval of