You won't be allowed to take it on the sand
Last night's commission meeting was all predictable-- Every single item was voted in with no challenge other than one Ordinance on opening up our city owned properties to allow people to walk around with open containers of alcoholic beverages at certain city events, even extending the "go-cup" to our beach. That was a 4/1 vote with McVoy dissenting.
The city now will be a bartender and vendor for special events. There's lots of money in alcohol and that's why so many establishments in Lake Worth ask for waivers for COP licenses and are granted them every time...without fail. The city needs the money too and wants to be a part of the action and has voted to open up our parks to booze at city special events so that visitors can carry around beer, wine or mixed drinks in a paper cup in our family-friendly city. Why not? Those establishments that sell it are the only ones making any money and the city has become one big drinking town until 2am.
This Ordinance would allow for the possession and consumption of approved alcoholic beverages at City coordinated events and within the approved event boundaries. Locations to include: Bryant Park, Cultural Plaza, City streets, Beach Complex and other designated City event spaces used in the production of City coordinated events.
The city says that it celebrates special events ranging from community-based festivals, parades to its annual Fourth of July Celebration, which host thousands of citizens and visitors in the city each year, many of which include the possession, sale and consumption of alcohol in outdoor and public areas.
The City further states that it is their goal to enhance the vitality, quality of life, and economic prosperity of the city through the support of special events and festivals in Lake Worth, while ensuring the safety of the city’s guests, citizens, and the surrounding environment affected by such events. What a bunch of hogwash. How does that work out? Who checks for ID's? Who determines if someone has "had enough?" What happens when someone leaves our city event and is in a DUI caused accident? It was not said who was behind this ordinance but I can well imagine...anything to attract business...and it was decided by a Commission thinking "outside the box."
It is unlawful, under any normal circumstance, for any vendor licensed to sell alcoholic beverages or its agents or employees, to knowingly allow any person to take any opened beer, wine, liquor, or other alcoholic beverage container, or to knowingly allow any person to take from the premises any glass or other open or unsealed container of an alcoholic beverage from that business. The "go-cup" was outlawed years ago. But we're going to be different. All along we have been told that County and State laws prevail over ours but this law is more important than a Charter Amendment and obviously supersedes any other in Palm Beach County.
So, all you "I just have to have a drink" folks have a ball while our city turns into one big HonkyTonk throughout the year. Burp!
5 comments:
Here comes Tom Ramiccio and his beer wagon! Can we open a pub in City hall? Sales just to Commissioners could pay off the cities debt !
So we don't want tall buildings and not be like Delray or WPB, but we want to be like Key West, where you can walk around with a alcoholic beverage, but we don't want it here?
Confused Anon
AGAIN, you obviously have never listened to or understood the message. No one has ever said that we want to emulate any other city. We have always, over 100 years, had our distinct downtown charm. We just want to keep it that way.
Now, go stand in the corner again.
You should want to emulate Delray or WPB and move in a POSITIVE DIRECTION!!
If our city and downtown charm is so distinct, why are we referred to as LAKE WORTHLESS?? We do not want to keep it that way.
Now, should I go stand in a corner?
Gosh, a throw-back to the old Stafford days--lakeworthless. Tell your favored PBSO to start arresting some of these people.
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