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Imbibe on beach but not in a parking lot

It's still okay to drink in public parks and on beaches in Madeira Beach, but now not in public parking lots and on the street.

MADEIRA BEACH - Drinking alcoholic beverages on the beach and in beach pavilions here is still okay.

But if you open a can of beer or drink wine or liquor in a parking lot, beware.

You may be arrested.

Last week, the City Commission put new teeth, it hopes, into its ordinance prohibiting open containers of alcohol in specific areas of the city. Commissioners wanted to make an old ordinance consistent throughout the city in how it addressed the issue.

The new rules specifically prohibit open containers of alcohol from public and commercial parking lots, public beach access easements, public streets, sidewalks, alleys and other open public property within the city - excluding public parks and beaches.

How it will be enforced will be left to the discretion of sheriff's deputies who patrol the city.

The city has received numerous complaints about people "loitering, drinking and sleeping on the beach," said City Manager Jill Silverboard, who pushed for the ban on drinking and open containers in parking lots.

Earlier this month, she questioned the need "to restrict patrons who are responsible users" at beach pavilions.

During the meeting Tuesday, Commissioner John Wolbert also objected to "going after people with a can of beer in their hand." He said the real issue was whether a person was causing a public disturbance. "When does it cross over into public drunkenness?" he asked.

Originally, the commission was going to prohibit open containers of alcohol from beach pavilions as well, but that provision was dropped amid concerns that the ban would unnecessarily punish well-behaved residents and tourists.

The ordinance says that open containers and drinking of alcohol are okay on the beach and in the South Beach and Archibald Park pavilions.

The commission actually expanded the areas where alcohol is permissible by dumping a previous prohibition at Kitty Stewart Park, on the west side of Gulf Boulevard between 140th and 141st avenues.

The prohibition against glass containers and bottles still applies in all locations, however.