Burbank Municipal Code Art. 8 Alcoholic Beverages; Warning Signs

A. Purpose: The Surgeon General of the United States has advised women who are pregnant, or considering pregnancy, not to drink alcoholic beverages. Recent research indicates that alcohol consumption during pregnancy, especially in the early months, can harm the fetus, and result in birth defects including mental retardation, facial abnormalities, and other defects involving heart and bone structure. In order to serve the public health, safety, and welfare, the purpose of this article is to educate the public by requiring warning signs to be placed at all locations where alcoholic beverages are sold to the public.

B. Duty To Post Signs Or Notices: Any person or entity who owns, operates, manages, leases, or rents premises offering wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages for sale, or dispensing for consideration to the public, shall cause a sign or notice to be permanently posted or displayed on the premises as provided in this section. The sign or notice shall comply with the readability requirements specified herein and shall read substantially as follows:

WARNING. DRINKING WINE, BEER, OR OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.

Except as may be specified in subsection C of this section or in the rules and regulations adopted by the Public Works Director or their designee, a sign or notice as required herein shall not be smaller than eight and one-half inches (8 1/2") wide by five and one-half inches (5 1/2") long, nor shall any lettering thereon be less than three-eighths (3/8) of an inch in height.

C. Placement: A sign or notice required by subsection B of this section shall be placed as follows:

1. Where the sale or dispensing of wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages to the public is primarily intended for consumption off the premises, at least one sign shall be so placed as to assure that it is conspicuously displayed so as to be readable at all points of purchase.

2. Where the sale of wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages to the public is primarily intended for consumption on the premises, at least one sign shall be placed to assure that it is conspicuously displayed so as to be readable in each public restroom.

D. Sign Availability: The Public Works Director shall make warning signs available to vendors of alcoholic beverages. Persons or entities may, however, at their own expense, prepare and post signs meeting the requirements of this article. In no event shall the prescribed language of the warning sign be altered. [Added by Ord. No. 3062; Amended by Ord. No. 3073, eff. 8/8/87.]