The San Diego City Council will vote in November on which of four versions they prefer, if any, that would ban or limit alcohol consumption on most beaches. The item is back before the Council following the Labor Day beach brawl near Reed Street that was televised around the world. Fifteen people were arrested after throwing beer cans and bottles at police.
Approximately 300 people attended the Oct. 10 Public Safety & Neighborhood Services Committee meeting, which voted 3-0 to forward all four versions to the full Council for consideration. There were so many speakers that councilmembers didn’t have time to say much.
Councilman Kevin Faulconer made the motion to forward all versions to the council, which was seconded by Councilman Tony Young and also supported by committee chairman Brian Maienschein. Councilman Ben Hueso was absent, as he was attending a California Coastal Commission meeting.
“We have to change the equation. It’s a small number of people who cause the problems ” the knuckleheads,” Faulconer said. “The people here (testifying at City Hall) are not part of the problem…A safe beach is a right for everybody.”
Faulconer supports Version D, the strictest ban, which would bar alcohol consumption year-round at all public beaches, bays, all coastal parks south of Tourmaline Surfing Park and coastal rights-of-way. He also favors repealing the existing 16-hour beach alcohol ban and the ban on Fourth of July kegs on beaches.
Referring to the disturbance on Labor Day, Faulconer said, “We can never allow that type of incident to happen again.”
Young said the low number of arrests was not a good argument for an alcohol ban, saying there were thousands at beaches on Labor Day.
“I would ban people who cause problems…Drunk people should not go to the beach,” Young said.
Mayor Jerry Sanders favors Version B, which would ban alcohol at all public beaches, bays, and coastal parks only on the holiday weekends of Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
Version C would only ban alcohol at La Jolla beaches and coastal parks in Council District 1 year-round.
Version A is a citywide ban, which would prohibit alcohol year-round at all beaches, bays, coastal parks and coastal rights-of-way.
“The council will be free to pick one,” Faulconer said.
Many people told committee members the Labor Day disturbance was an isolated and exaggerated incident, with some noting that only 15 were arrested as compared to more than 100,000 peaceful people at the beaches that day. The video of young men throwing bottles at officers and fighting made TV newscasts across the country.
Of the 15 arrested, only three so far have been charged by the city attorney with participating in a riot. Seven others have been charged with other misdemeanor offenses and have yet to be arraigned in San Diego Superior Court.
One lifeguard told the committee that adding alcohol to beachgoers is like adding “more gunpowder to this keg.” Another lifeguard said alcohol abuse endangers officer safety because they are exposed to blood and vomit.
“Drinking on the beaches is a threat to public safety all year long,” said Scott Chipman, who said he has founded a new organization called Safe Beaches. “San Diego beaches are a magnet for binge drinking.”
A Pacific Beach surf shop owner said customers have told him they no longer feel safe. “Pacific Beach has lost that safe feeling, and it’s all because of alcohol,” he added.
In 2001, the City Council passed an ordinance banning alcohol on beaches. Voters signed petitions to place the issue on the ballot, and voters rejected the ban in 2002.