Monterey considers banning alcohol on its beaches.

On a sunny afternoon, a few hundred people lounge on the sand or play in the water along Del Monte Beach in Monterey. Some sit back on their blankets sipping on beer, yet after complaints from some residents, the city of Monterey is considering banning that activity.

Stephen Wegley, 23, sits on the beach while drinking a Bud Light. “I think people here are very responsible, no one gets out of hand and people pick up after themselves,” he says. He’s from Sacramento, visiting his parents in Monterey.

Drinking on Monterey beaches is legal from 6am to 10pm, and along with Carmel, is one of only two areas on the Peninsula where beachgoers can legally imbibe.

“We’re looking at it to get in line with other beaches in the area,” says Monterey Police Chief Dave Hober, who adds drinking is already prohibited in city parks. If the City Council were to ban alcohol, people could still apply for an alcohol consumption permit with the city, Hober continues.

Parties that go on into the night sometimes cause quality-of-life issues for residents who live by the beach, and are already illegal – typically enforced only when residents complain. Prohibiting boozy beach days would add another law to the books that could be difficult to enforce.

Medical marijuana deliveries and Airbnb rentals are not allowed within city limits, but a simple web search shows numerous options for each. Panhandling and sitting or lying on city sidewalks are also prohibited, but a stroll down Alvarado Street shows many transients engaged in both of those activities.

“The premise that you start with is, you expect honesty and some adherence to the law,” says former Monterey police officer and current City Councilmember Ed Smith. “If you try to enforce all of the laws all the time, it would be chaos.”

Yet Smith, who has been critical of over-regulation from the dais, adds, “Who doesn’t like a picnic on the beach with a six-pack of beer?”

City Manager Mike McCarthy, who also agrees that a beer on the beach is enjoyable, says many ordinances are there to respond to complaints, and that there isn’t enough bandwidth in the police department and city staff to seek out violators.

While Hober and city planners are still weighing options to regulate alcohol on beaches, if they do recommend a prohibition, it is expected to come before City Council within the next 30 days.