From:Auburn Journal

That sip of beer or wine with a picnic in one of Placer County’s parks will still be legal, for the time being.

Faced with final adoption of an ordinance prohibiting alcohol consumption or carrying open containers of alcohol in public places, the Board of Supervisors also faced questions from an expert on county’s parks on the necessity of new regulations.

That questioning led to a 4-0 vote to table the ordinance, with no date specified for placing it back on the agenda again. Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery was not at the meeting.

The item was taken off the board’s consent agenda at the request of retired Placer County Facility Services Department deputy director Albert Richie, who suggested that there should continue to be room in at least some county parks for alcohol consumption.

During Richie’s tenure, the county’s parks division developed new park facilities throughout Placer County, including Gould, Squaw Valley, Granite Bay, Treelake, Ron Fiest, Sterling Pointe and Franklin School parks, in addition to Hidden Falls.

Richie, who retired in 2010, said that while the ordinance appears to address concerns about drinking in public places as part of county efforts to address homeless issues in North Auburn, it should deal with that issue and not become a countywide ordinance.

“If someone opens a cold beer or has a glass of wine, they’re subject to a $150 citation and court costs would make it $300,” Richie said.

Supervisor Jim Holmes said that he couldn’t support an ordinance that would prohibit people from taking visitors to parks like Hidden Falls Regional Park and sharing a glass of Placer County wine.

Supervisor Kirk Uhler recommended tabling a motion to adopt the ordinance, suggesting instead that enforcement of laws already in place on public intoxication would be more appropriate.

“My fear is that we’re infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens,” Uhler said. “Why cast such a broad net?”

The open container ban was part of a series of so-called quality of life ordinances that were introduced following continued concerns being expressed over increases in the homeless population and crime, particularly in North Auburn. Related ordinances prohibiting graffiti and public urination and defecation were approved and go into effect in March.

The ordinance could come back if the board votes to reconsider it or takes up a revised version.

As well as parks, the open container ban included streets, sidewalks and parking lots in unincorporated Placer County. Permits for the county would be required to allow alcohol consumption in parks, including proof of insurance, County Counsel Gerald Carden said.