Vernon Municipal Code Ch. 9.24 Alcoholic Beverages

A. Drunkenness—In Public Places. It is unlawful for any person to be or appear in any public place or in any place open to public view, or on any street, alley, highway, court, park, railway depot, plaza or public square in the City in a state of drunkenness or intoxication.

B. Drinking in a Public Place Prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to drink or consume or to offer for immediate drink or consumption an alcoholic beverage in a public place in the City of Vernon except as provided in Section 9.24.030. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction.

C. Drinking in a Vehicle Parked in a Public Place Prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to drink or consume or to offer for immediate drink or consumption an alcoholic beverage in any vehicle parked in a public place in the City of Vernon.

D. Drunkeness in Private Places. It is unlawful for any person to be on any private premises, or in any private house, in a state of drunkenness or intoxication to the annoyance of any other person.

E. Drinking on Posted Private Property. It is unlawful for any person other than the owner or tenant to drink or consume or to offer for immediate drink or consumption an alcoholic beverage on the posted premises of any private property in the City of Vernon. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction.

(Prior code §§ 17.6—17.6-2, 17.7, 17.7-2)

"Alcoholic beverage"

means any beverage as defined in Section 109 of the Vehicle Code of the State of California, including, but not limited to, distilled spirits as defined in Section 23005 of the Business and Professions Code of the State of California, beer as defined in Section 23006 thereof, and wine as defined in Section 23007 thereof.

"Public place"

means any area dedicated to or under the jurisdiction of a public agency, including, but not limited to, a street, thoroughfare, lane, alley, sidewalk, parkway, right-of-way, easement, planting strip, park, lot, parcel, parking lot, parking structure, building, school, or school grounds. A "public place" shall also include the doorway or entryway of any private building fronting on a public place. Public place shall also include the front yard, side yard, driveway, parking lot, or other area of any private property the premises of which have been posted pursuant to Section 9.24.050.

(Prior code §§ 17.6-3, 17.6-4)

The City Clerk may issue a permit which allows drinking in a public place for the purpose of a trade show, fair, picnic, barbecue, or public gathering. Said permit shall require the applicant to furnish proof of public liability and property damage insurance in an amount and form approved by the City Clerk.

(Prior code § 17.6-5)

No person who has in his or her possession any bottle, can or other receptacle containing any alcoholic beverage which has been opened, or a seal broken, or the contents of which have been partially removed, shall enter, be, or remain on the posted premises of, including the posted parking lot immediately adjacent to, any retail package off-sale alcoholic beverage licensee licensed pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 23000) of the Business and Professions Code. Any persons violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction.

(Prior code § 17.7-1)

As used in this chapter, "posted premises" means private property which has located on it in clear view a sign which contains the following or substantially similar warning in letters at least two inches high: "Drinking of an alcoholic beverage or possession of an open container thereof on these premises is prohibited" followed by a citation of the applicable Vernon City Code (VCC) section.

(Prior code § 17.7-3)