2008 Woodie Awards
San Diego bans alcohol on beaches
One year trial ban in effect
Toria Savey
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: News
On January 14, after a San Diego City Council vote, a one-year trial ban of alcohol on beaches and in many public parks went into effect. The vote was 5-2, the minimum needed to pass it. The ban includes locations like La Jolla Cove, Mission Beach and Ocean Beach.
Banning alcohol on beaches has come up with the city council in the past. In 1994, the city council voted for the same type of one-year trial ban, but opponents gathered enough signatures for a referendum, and the council was forced to repeal the ban. In 2002, the ballot included voting on an 18-month alcohol in parts of Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, which was rejected by a narrow margin.
About 30,209, or 5% of registered city voters, would be needed to force a referendum in the same manner at 1994. The group," Ban the Ban," run by the grass roots organization Our City, Our Responsibility, collected 45,000 signatures. However, when the city clerk's office randomly sampled 3% of the petition, they found only 680 of 1,367 signatures to be valid. As a result, the petition was declared to have an insufficient number of signatures. The question remains over whether random sampling is fair. However, it is more economical. According to a press release from the city clerk's office, "The cost of a signature-by-signature verification of the petition has been estimated at $70,000 - $147,000. Therefore, any person who desires to challenge the determination of insufficiency by random sampling method must post…a certified check for $70,000 to initially cover that cost."
The law might not have passed before the problems last Labor Day in Pacific Beach, in which the arrest of one reveler turned into a major clash between beach goers armed with rocks and glass beer bottles and police officers in riot gear, which ended with the arrests of 16 people. The police department has been accused of using excessive force in the situation.
For a first time offense, the maximum fine is $250. However, repeat offenses could bring up to $1000 in fines, and may include up to a six-month jail sentence.
The ban covers beaches up to the Del Mar city limits, leaving residents of North County in the middle of a checkerboard of beaches covered by alcohol laws. A full list of areas where alcohol is banned by the new law can be found at www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk.
Banning alcohol on beaches has come up with the city council in the past. In 1994, the city council voted for the same type of one-year trial ban, but opponents gathered enough signatures for a referendum, and the council was forced to repeal the ban. In 2002, the ballot included voting on an 18-month alcohol in parts of Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, which was rejected by a narrow margin.
About 30,209, or 5% of registered city voters, would be needed to force a referendum in the same manner at 1994. The group," Ban the Ban," run by the grass roots organization Our City, Our Responsibility, collected 45,000 signatures. However, when the city clerk's office randomly sampled 3% of the petition, they found only 680 of 1,367 signatures to be valid. As a result, the petition was declared to have an insufficient number of signatures. The question remains over whether random sampling is fair. However, it is more economical. According to a press release from the city clerk's office, "The cost of a signature-by-signature verification of the petition has been estimated at $70,000 - $147,000. Therefore, any person who desires to challenge the determination of insufficiency by random sampling method must post…a certified check for $70,000 to initially cover that cost."
The law might not have passed before the problems last Labor Day in Pacific Beach, in which the arrest of one reveler turned into a major clash between beach goers armed with rocks and glass beer bottles and police officers in riot gear, which ended with the arrests of 16 people. The police department has been accused of using excessive force in the situation.
For a first time offense, the maximum fine is $250. However, repeat offenses could bring up to $1000 in fines, and may include up to a six-month jail sentence.
The ban covers beaches up to the Del Mar city limits, leaving residents of North County in the middle of a checkerboard of beaches covered by alcohol laws. A full list of areas where alcohol is banned by the new law can be found at www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
san diego movers
posted 11/25/08 @ 8:10 PM PST
I don't know, i have mixed feeling about this ban. It is a great thing not to have drunks everywhere when you are trying to enjoy yourself, but i do believe that we are loosing more by restricting our society once more. (Continued…)
Post a Comment