The Benicia City Council voted to approve adding an amendment to Benicia Municipal Code title 12, prohibiting the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in parks without a permit, at its Tuesday meeting.
After several complaints of alcohol-related rudeness in parks, the Benicia Police Department submitted the amendment change to the Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Commission at its meeting in March. The commission unanimously voted to approve the amendment change, which was then passed on to the City Council.
Staff recommended the council introduce the ordinance to amend the Benicia Municipal Code to prohibit the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages within all city parks unless a picnic area reservation or special event permit is obtained from the Parks and Community Services Department. Other cities with similar policies include Napa, Fairfield, Martinez and Pleasant Hill.
Police said this amendment change would decrease the number of calls for services at city parks, allow officers to hold those who cause pollution at the park accountable and give Benicia police the ability to hold the person who reserves the area responsible for allowing others to consume too much alcohol. Police believe the parks will be more family-friendly and safer for children under this amendment.
In other business, the council took up the issue of water rates in the city.
The council voted to approve the agenda item which would maintain water rate increases as adopted in 2016, and to revise the sewer rate increases implemented each July 1 as follows: lower the rate increase for the 2018-19 fiscal year from 9 to 0 percent; maintain the 2019-20 increase at 7 percent, and maintain the 2020-21 rate increase at 5 percent.
During the meeting, the council reviewed a report of the water and sewer rate increases presented at the Oct. 17 meeting, which provided information on factors that are leading to the five-year rate increases. The council asked at the October meeting that city staff come back in the spring with information about how well actual revenues matched projections, the status of the capital improvement plans, a review of future rate increases for possible reduction and other related information.
Before the meeting, staff recommended council approve the agenda item.
The council is next scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, although this is subject to change.
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We already need a permit to fix our house, to chop down a tree…etc. and now a permit to have a beer in the park with our picnic. What’s next? Walk our dog? Ride our bike? Launch our kayak?
Big Brother what is next is a ban on smoking in the parks. All because of your beloved mayor.
Dude, smoking is and has been illegal in the parks for quite some time.
Since 1987, specifically.
I do think you are both wrong.
Depends on what you mean. If you mean the year, you’re right. I had mixed up ordinances and thought parks were included in the 1987 one that covered general public areas and city owned zones. The ordinance specifying parks W asnt until 15 years ago, in 2003.
B. Smoking is prohibited within city or publicly owned or controlled parks, recreational trails, or recreational facilities. (Ord. 17-05 § 6; Ord. 03-1, 2003).
I do believe you are right B.B.
9.06.110 passed in 2017 prohibits smoking in parks per City Manager.
http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/Benicia/?Benicia09/Benicia0906.html&?f
This source says 2003. Where did you get yours from, so we can compare?
I do believe that 9.06.110 includes the following language “B. Smoking is prohibited within city or publicly owned or controlled parks, recreational trails, or recreational facilities. (Ord. 17-05 § 6; Ord. 03-1, 2003)..” I do believe B.B. is correct.
I do believe we are both correct. The final answer is no smoking in park. I do believe ,that is all we wanted to know.
Say, where is that darn goalpost?
from the city manager
Your original comment was “a ban on smoking in the parks. All because of your beloved mayor.”
Are you telling me that the City Manager not only told you that currently, there is no city rules on smoking in parks, but also informed you that the City Mayor was seeking to put these rules in place?
Well, it is our own fault. We get the government we deserve since most are too lazy to serve themselves or too disenfranchised by being conservative to have your vote count. So we are left with prudes (yes PRUDES) who take it upon themselves to foist their prejudices on everyone else. The last decent government we had in Benicia was O’Blennis run.
BB I will admit I was wrong and that there is already a ban on smoking in the parks. The mayor has spoken many times on smoke. She always says she dislikes smoke of any kind. By the way I never said the City Manager said what you are assuming she said. Read what I said. I do believe this issue is over. You can have the last word.