IRVINE : City Moves to Ban Drinking in Public

Recent Sunday invasions of hard-drinking rowdies at Heritage Park have prompted the City Council to give initial approval to a law against drinking in public.

In a unanimous vote, with one member absent, the council voted to overturn the city’s longstanding tolerance of drinking in public. The law, if given final approval next month, would prohibit anyone from drinking alcoholic beverages at parks or other public places.

Police Chief Leo Peart suggested the law to help persuade groups of young adults that have numbered 300 to 350 from coming to Irvine and getting drunk and boisterous in the parks.

“A month ago, we started to see large groups that would come in in an organized fashion and take over the park,” Peart said. “These groups were not family-oriented. . . . They were there to do some serious drinking and take over the area so it couldn’t be used by families of Irvine.”

Most, if not all, members of the large groups were not Irvine residents, Peart said. Special six-officer patrols have been assigned to Heritage Park for the past two Sundays, resulting in three arrests, one for drinking in a car, the others for people whom police found had warrants for their arrest, he said.

Police do not know why the groups have picked Heritage Park, but there has been speculation that the park is popular because of its proximity to the Santa Ana Freeway, Peart said.

The council is expected to give final approval to the proposed law Nov. 12. If approved, the law would take effect Dec. 12 and require a city permit for any group wanting to bring alcoholic beverages to the park. The permit process is intended to allow drinking at company picnics and similar functions, Peart said.

Councilman Barry J. Hammond said he received several telephone calls from residents in support of the ban. Costa Mesa, Tustin and Newport Beach ban drinking in most public places, Peart said.