The city council finds, determines and declares that this chapter has been enacted based upon the following facts and purposes:
(1)
The occurrence of parties, gatherings, or events on private property where alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by or in the possession of underage persons is harmful to the underage persons themselves and is a public nuisance; and
(2)
According to local, state and federal surveys, alcohol is overwhelmingly and consistently the most widely used drug at all adolescent age levels, and a child who begins alcohol use prior to age 15 is four times as likely to experience alcohol dependence than one who refrains from alcohol use until age 20 or older; and
(3)
The occurrence of parties, gatherings, or events on private property where alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by or in the possession of underage persons is harmful to the underage persons themselves and is a public nuisance; and
(4)
The city of Norco has made numerous and substantial efforts to enforce underage drinking and consumption laws. Despite these efforts, use of alcohol by youth remains a serious problem in the city, contributing significantly to the incidence of adolescent crime, addiction, sexual assault, truancy, driving under the influence of alcohol, and motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol and causing injury and/or death; and
(5)
Underage persons often obtain alcoholic beverages at gatherings held at private residences or at rented residential or commercial premises that are under the control of a person who knows or should know of the service to, possession by, and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages by underage persons. Persons responsible for the occurrence of parties, gatherings, or events on private property over which they have possession or control have failed to ensure that alcoholic beverages are not served to, consumed by or possessed by underage persons at these gatherings; and
(6)
Control of parties, gatherings, or events on private property where alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by or possessed by underage persons is necessary when such activity is determined to be a public nuisance; and
(7)
Persons held responsible for abetting or allowing parties, gatherings, or events where alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by or possessed by underage persons will be more likely to properly supervise or to stop such conduct at parties, gatherings or events held on property in their possession or under their control; and
(8)
In the past and present, law enforcement, fire and other emergency response services personnel have responded and are required to respond, sometimes on multiple occasions, to parties, gatherings, or events on private property at which alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by or possessed by underage persons, and responses to such gatherings result in a disproportionate expenditure of public safety resources of the city, which are underwritten by general municipal taxes paid to the city by its taxpayers and residents, and also result in a delay of responses to regular and emergency calls to the rest of the city; and
(9)
Problems associated with parties, gatherings, or events at which alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by or possessed by underage persons are difficult to prevent or deter unless the city has the legal authority to penalize said action; and
(10)
The intent of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety and enjoyment of residential property and general welfare; and
(11)
Section 25658 of the State of California Business and Professions Code makes it unlawful for a person under the age of 21 years to purchase, or attempt to purchase, or consume alcoholic beverages and makes it unlawful for any person to sell any alcoholic beverage to any person under the age of 21 years; and
(12)
The city council of the city of Norco therefore determines that this chapter is a reasonable and necessary means to protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the youth and other residents of the city of Norco.
(Ord. 904 Sec. 1, 2009)