[Added 4-4-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-5]
No person who is under 21 years of age, i.e.,
the legal age established by law for the purchase or consumption of
alcoholic beverages, shall possess alcoholic beverages on private
property; nor shall any such person possess alcoholic beverages while
upon any public street, road, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public
place or in any private vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, stopped
or parked in or on any public street, road or parking lot, except
as provided herein.
No person who is under 21 years of age, i.e.,
the legal age established by law for the purchase or consumption of
alcoholic beverages, shall consume alcoholic beverages on private
property; nor shall any such person consume alcoholic beverages while
upon any public street, road, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public
place or in any private vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, stopped
or parked in or on any public street, road or parking lot, except
as provided herein.
As provided by law, this article shall not apply
to underage persons consuming or possessing an alcoholic beverage
in connection with a religious observance, ceremony or rite or consuming
or possessing an alcoholic beverage in the presence of and with the
permission of a parent, guardian or relative who has attained the
legal age to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages nor shall this
article prohibit the possession of alcoholic beverages by any underage
person while actually engaged in the performance of employment by
a person who is licensed under Title 33 of the Revised Statutes or
while actively engaged in the preparation of food while enrolled in
a culinary arts or hotel management program at a county vocational
school or post secondary educational institution; however, this provision
shall not be construed to preclude the imposition of a penalty under
N.J.S.A. 33:1-81 or any other section of law against a person who
is convicted of unlawful alcoholic beverage activity on or at premises
licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity
which aids, supports, promotes, assists, encourages or permits any
individual under 21 years of age to violate any provision of this
article shall be in violation of the provisions herein and shall,
upon conviction, be subject to the penalties set forth herein.
Any person found guilty of underage possession
and/or consumption shall be fined $250 for a first offense and $350
for any subsequent offense. In addition to the above fine, as provided
by N.J.S.A. 40:48-1.2, the Court may suspend or postpone the person's
driving privilege for a period of six months. If the person is under
the age of 17 years, the period of license postponement, including
a suspension or postponement of the privilege of operating a motorized
bicycle, shall commence on the day the sentence is imposed and shall
run for a period of six months after said person reaches the age of
17 years of age. If the person convicted under this article is not
a resident of the State of New Jersey, the Court shall suspend or
postpone, as appropriate, the nonresident driving privilege of the
person based on the age of the person.
