Public opinion was at the center of the sixth meeting of the Beach Alcohol Task Force Monday, March 26, at the Santa Clara Rec Center, with most comments regarding drinking on the district’s beaches.
While February’s gathering suffered dwindling public attendance, the March meeting was swarming with residents eager to share their opinion on a controversial topic.
Approximately 200 people packed into the building, some standing outside the community room peering in through widows, straining to hear the comments.
FreePB.org supporters arrived with red hats and visors featuring the words “Keep Freedom Legal” across the front, which they passed out to anyone opposed to a beach alcohol ban. And the opposition was clearly in the majority; when one supporter of the ban asked those in favor to stand and show themselves, a group of 30 rose from their chairs.
Also in attendance were Chief of Police William Lansdowne, Northern Division’s Capt. Boyd Long and Lt. Brian Ahern as well as various representatives from lifeguard services. District 2 Councilman Kevin Faulconer also made it after missing the last due to a late-running City Council meeting.
According to Lansdowne, the police department is currently working to educate the public as to what they will and will not tolerate.
“I hear from neighbors “¦ that it’s getting better,” Lansdowne said. “No one’s ever said it’s perfect; everybody has their own views on that.”
While Lansdowne notes that there may not be a perfect solution, he assured the crowd that the department will listen to the task force’s recommendations.
“I will try to implement what this committee puts together for us as a direction of where we would like to be,” Lansdowne said.
Long explained that because of the large population and high tourist rate in beach communities such as Pacific Beach, the area becomes an easy target for criminals “” a problem that he was unsure an alcohol ban would prevent.
Approximately 50 people spoke to the task force about problems that alcohol creates in the community, but few offered any solutions other than a complete beach ban.
Others, such as Ocean Beach resident Craig Klein, suggested creating family recreational overlay zones where drinking is prohibited, with other portions of the beach open for responsible drinking.
“I think this issue is a balancing of rights,” Klein said. “We do have zones. We have surfing zones, we have swim-only zones and then we have other zones that are flexible. I don’t see why the same approach cannot be used on the sand with respect to the alcohol issue.”
Pacific Beach resident Michael McGinty spoke of his experiences at East Coast beaches, where residents must purchase a beach tag from the city to use the beach. He voiced his concerns that the community’s mentality could lead San Diego to the same situation.
“We could wind up with a militant approach to enjoying the beach,” McGinty said.
Resident Jamie Young, however, suggested that beach tags could bring some added income to the Northern Division police force.
“Say we use those beach passes to support some of the funding to get people out there to help clean up, to get some more law enforcement out there and help get some of these drunk kids out of there,” Young said.
Many residents stressed that the city already has laws “” including regulations about public intoxication, public urination and driving under the influence “” and that the real issue is proper enforcement of existing rules.
In the end, Faulconer noted the suggested solutions “” geographical boundaries, time of day restrictions and seasonal prohibition “” and continued the committee’s discussion and debate of the issue to next month’s meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ocean Beach Masonic Lodge, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.