I dont find this to be a fair thing to do. I think you must find another way for enforcement of this standard. Frequent drinkers can be policed for leaving trash, or if the enforcement aspect is really going to be engaged a simple conversation can establish a "public drunkeness" violation.
If you open the door for this what's next, then you have to have a permit to have sodas? Or cant bring food in and serve it without a permit? One thing that has always been true of any type of govt entity, is you give them an inch they'll take 2 and never ever ever give them up.
There is already a law about public intoxication. There is a law about glass bottles in parks. There is a law about littering and there is a curfew in the parks. Unless the idea is to create more criminals, to enhance the revenue stream, it appears redundant and a huge local government overreach to me. Besides, alcoholic adult beverage drinkers (as opposed to adult beverage drinkers of alcohol) are inventive and a Super Big Gulp Mug is a godsend in prohibited areas. Don't ask me how I know.
I actually didn't know it was legal in the first place. I thought it fell under the open container law. Are there restrictions right now? For instance, could I have a cookout with a keg of beer as long as we weren't unruly? Just wondering.
I think there are three considerations relative to alcohol consumption in public parks. Segregating children from adult behavior, deterring underage consumption of alcohol and discouraging vandalism and other offensive behavior. Areas specifically dedicated to youth- spray pools, wading pools (if they still exist) and playground equipment should be alcohol-restricted. Open-air picnicking areas, a minimum distance from recreation areas, should allow alcohol consumption. Pavilions should allow alcohol consumption by permit only. Such restrictions would keep alcohol away from children, allow family gatherings to include alcohol and provide law-enforcement criteria to curtail unacceptable behavior where children congregate. Special use permits could include alcohol on a case-by-case basis: say, a group wants to use a park for a Bocce tournament.
Can I ask a question here...Why would you want to get drink in a public park in the first place? I mean if you're having a party or something and you rent out the pavilion, then I get it, but what moron decides to take a six pack (or more) and go get lambasted in a public park?
Man you can have a law for anything, but like Ron White says "You can't fix stupid."
I'm thinking DWI laws in the state might just have something to do with the gathering in a public parks to have a few beers, not to get drunk or disorderly, but to gather and share a few grins. What just are public parks for? (public) being the word in question? I being a cigar smoker and a beer drinker feel like I have woken up and might just be living in the novel "1984". When do we stop giving up our rights? I also feel in this day and age that if someone in a public park is drunk and disorderly that a cell phone dogooder will have the local law at the public park within minutes,I also feel the local agencys are very capable of handling any problems that might arise.
Guess there was a time when booze only came in glass (and still my personal preferred container for beer).
Also, as I understand it, the issue isn't public drunkenness. It's the regulars who hang out in the parks drinking 40s (in cans). It's not per-se that they are acting out. It's that some people don't feel comfortable having their kids (or the kids they're supervising) around a bunch of young guys who are just hanging out and drinking beer.
So the question to ask yourself, I guess, "is do I want my child hanging out at or near the same park bench with some guy who seems to have nothing better to do every day than hang out and drink beer?"
Howard, most people would say they don't want their kids near guys hanging out drinking beer. On the other hand, if there is no drunkenness, no bad behavior and they carry out the empty cans, why not leave them alone? And maybe they don't want kids around, so should kids be banned at certain times so drinkers are not bothered?
There are already laws on the books for the trouble makers and underage kids drinking. Leave the others alone.
There is bad behavior going on in these parks. I have witnessed specific events where I have had to leave Austin Park with my children. They don't just sit and drink. They cause problems. You can rent the pavilion at Austin Park for an event, and they will still come and sit down - at your event - with their beer, their cigarettes and their baby strollers, regardless of the fact that you have reserved it.
Signs will be ignored. If the city wants to be serious about making the parks family friendly then they have to come up with a solution that has more "teeth" than signs. I agree with Mr. Barons. Areas dedicated to youth should be alcohol restricted. Drinking in the pavilions should only be allowed with a permit, and people that are found drinking without the permit should face consequences.
"I really didn't expect such a high percentage of No votes."
What? You don't like beer? You have forty eight hours to get out of Genesee County because we're kind, sometimes.
I just don't get why you would go to a park to drink and smoke. They don't have porches or something? Maybe I'm confused because people just don't do these kind of things where I'm from. It's really just foreign to me. I just think it's so trashy that you would actually leave your house and to a public place to consume alcohol.
So no I would not allow my kids to hang around people like that.
Well Howard I saw your comments and Lauren's comments and I can appreciate them however this still seems to me that responsibility is being shoved off to the local govt. This is more an enforcement issue as it has been pointed out that there are already laws.
Lauren I agree with you on some of the offenses but people need to pick up the cell or go to a phone and call this stuff in. Maybe the city and town would be more effective in indicating to law enforcement that they need to be more agressive with the laws in place rather than making new ones. We tried prohibition once in this country and where did it get us. Alcohol has been here longer than the US has been a political entity.
I just dont like seeing any level of govt start to erode the ability of decent people who can control themselves and pay their taxes, the right to relax and enjoy themselves. If there are problem groups, then deal with them not punish or put limitations on the rest of us for their actions
Phil, I can see some people just wanting to get together with a few friends on a nice day, and have a few beers, at a park. And maybe even smoke. You can not do that in a bar anymore, but it's still legal at a park, if you want.
Again, as others have pointed out, solutions for bad behavior are already there. Leave the well behaved, law abiding people alone.
I dont find this to be a fair
I dont find this to be a fair thing to do. I think you must find another way for enforcement of this standard. Frequent drinkers can be policed for leaving trash, or if the enforcement aspect is really going to be engaged a simple conversation can establish a "public drunkeness" violation.
If you open the door for this what's next, then you have to have a permit to have sodas? Or cant bring food in and serve it without a permit? One thing that has always been true of any type of govt entity, is you give them an inch they'll take 2 and never ever ever give them up.
"Like" Kyle's comment above
"Like" Kyle's comment above
There is already a law about
There is already a law about public intoxication. There is a law about glass bottles in parks. There is a law about littering and there is a curfew in the parks. Unless the idea is to create more criminals, to enhance the revenue stream, it appears redundant and a huge local government overreach to me. Besides, alcoholic adult beverage drinkers (as opposed to adult beverage drinkers of alcohol) are inventive and a Super Big Gulp Mug is a godsend in prohibited areas. Don't ask me how I know.
I really didn't expect such a
I really didn't expect such a high percentage of No votes.
I agree with Kyle also.
I agree with Kyle also.
I actually didn't know it was
I actually didn't know it was legal in the first place. I thought it fell under the open container law. Are there restrictions right now? For instance, could I have a cookout with a keg of beer as long as we weren't unruly? Just wondering.
I think there are three
I think there are three considerations relative to alcohol consumption in public parks. Segregating children from adult behavior, deterring underage consumption of alcohol and discouraging vandalism and other offensive behavior. Areas specifically dedicated to youth- spray pools, wading pools (if they still exist) and playground equipment should be alcohol-restricted. Open-air picnicking areas, a minimum distance from recreation areas, should allow alcohol consumption. Pavilions should allow alcohol consumption by permit only. Such restrictions would keep alcohol away from children, allow family gatherings to include alcohol and provide law-enforcement criteria to curtail unacceptable behavior where children congregate. Special use permits could include alcohol on a case-by-case basis: say, a group wants to use a park for a Bocce tournament.
Can I ask a question
Can I ask a question here...Why would you want to get drink in a public park in the first place? I mean if you're having a party or something and you rent out the pavilion, then I get it, but what moron decides to take a six pack (or more) and go get lambasted in a public park?
Man you can have a law for anything, but like Ron White says "You can't fix stupid."
Some people have nothing
Some people have nothing better to do I guess. You can only watch Family Guy re-runs so many times.
I do love me some Family
I do love me some Family Guy...but that's just sad.
Another question...isn't there an open container law on the books?
I'm thinking DWI laws in the
I'm thinking DWI laws in the state might just have something to do with the gathering in a public parks to have a few beers, not to get drunk or disorderly, but to gather and share a few grins. What just are public parks for? (public) being the word in question? I being a cigar smoker and a beer drinker feel like I have woken up and might just be living in the novel "1984". When do we stop giving up our rights? I also feel in this day and age that if someone in a public park is drunk and disorderly that a cell phone dogooder will have the local law at the public park within minutes,I also feel the local agencys are very capable of handling any problems that might arise.
Not open containers -- open
Not open containers -- open glass containers.
Bottle of beer = no. Can of beer = yes.
Guess there was a time when booze only came in glass (and still my personal preferred container for beer).
Also, as I understand it, the issue isn't public drunkenness. It's the regulars who hang out in the parks drinking 40s (in cans). It's not per-se that they are acting out. It's that some people don't feel comfortable having their kids (or the kids they're supervising) around a bunch of young guys who are just hanging out and drinking beer.
So the question to ask yourself, I guess, "is do I want my child hanging out at or near the same park bench with some guy who seems to have nothing better to do every day than hang out and drink beer?"
Howard, most people would say
Howard, most people would say they don't want their kids near guys hanging out drinking beer. On the other hand, if there is no drunkenness, no bad behavior and they carry out the empty cans, why not leave them alone? And maybe they don't want kids around, so should kids be banned at certain times so drinkers are not bothered?
There are already laws on the books for the trouble makers and underage kids drinking. Leave the others alone.
There is bad behavior going
There is bad behavior going on in these parks. I have witnessed specific events where I have had to leave Austin Park with my children. They don't just sit and drink. They cause problems. You can rent the pavilion at Austin Park for an event, and they will still come and sit down - at your event - with their beer, their cigarettes and their baby strollers, regardless of the fact that you have reserved it.
Signs will be ignored. If the city wants to be serious about making the parks family friendly then they have to come up with a solution that has more "teeth" than signs. I agree with Mr. Barons. Areas dedicated to youth should be alcohol restricted. Drinking in the pavilions should only be allowed with a permit, and people that are found drinking without the permit should face consequences.
"I really didn't expect such
"I really didn't expect such a high percentage of No votes."
What? You don't like beer? You have forty eight hours to get out of Genesee County because we're kind, sometimes.
Lauren, call 911. The laws
Lauren, call 911. The laws are already in effect.
I did not know that
I did not know that distinction, Howard! Thanks!
I just don't get why you would go to a park to drink and smoke. They don't have porches or something? Maybe I'm confused because people just don't do these kind of things where I'm from. It's really just foreign to me. I just think it's so trashy that you would actually leave your house and to a public place to consume alcohol.
So no I would not allow my kids to hang around people like that.
Well Howard I saw your
Well Howard I saw your comments and Lauren's comments and I can appreciate them however this still seems to me that responsibility is being shoved off to the local govt. This is more an enforcement issue as it has been pointed out that there are already laws.
Lauren I agree with you on some of the offenses but people need to pick up the cell or go to a phone and call this stuff in. Maybe the city and town would be more effective in indicating to law enforcement that they need to be more agressive with the laws in place rather than making new ones. We tried prohibition once in this country and where did it get us. Alcohol has been here longer than the US has been a political entity.
I just dont like seeing any level of govt start to erode the ability of decent people who can control themselves and pay their taxes, the right to relax and enjoy themselves. If there are problem groups, then deal with them not punish or put limitations on the rest of us for their actions
Come on people, no
Come on people, no smoking.....no alcohol....whats next? No sex? DOH!!!!!!!
Phil, I can see some people
Phil, I can see some people just wanting to get together with a few friends on a nice day, and have a few beers, at a park. And maybe even smoke. You can not do that in a bar anymore, but it's still legal at a park, if you want.
Again, as others have pointed out, solutions for bad behavior are already there. Leave the well behaved, law abiding people alone.
Richard:"Come on people, no
Richard:"Come on people, no smoking.....no alcohol....whats next? No sex? DOH!!!!!!!"
Well, not in a park anyway, that's been tried!