A $50 fee will be required to obtain a permit to consume alcoholic beverages in any McCandless park, according to a vote at the April 14 council meeting.
Specifically, Ordinance 1556 states that “no person shall consume any alcoholic beverage in any quantity in the Parks or on the property comprising the Parks in the Town of McCandless except pursuant to a permit issued by the Town and in compliance with the requirements of the permit.”
“This was brought in under our last manager. It was discussed and fell to the back table. It’s been brought back around and (town Manager John) Schwend has formalized it. Through all his research, (we found) we needed a formal process for alcohol in the parks,” council President Jason Singer said.
The ordinance indicates it is not legal to have alcohol in parks unless a permit is obtained through the town.
“Which is also why we’re amending the permit fee schedule,” Singer said.
Nothing was ever formalized regarding alcohol use in the park, Schwend said. The town could have either banned alcohol from parks entirely or ban it unless a permit was obtained.
“Anyone who is renting a pavilion at Devlin or Wall parks and wants to have alcohol (beer or wine only) at their event is required to have a permit to do so. Alcohol is not permitted in the parks outside of that framework,” said Abby Lucostic, director of parks and recreation for McCandless.
Permits will be available as an add-on when renting pavilions and is a part of that process, Lucostic said.
It also allows vendors at events to apply to serve alcohol with the proper licensing, Schwend said.
The $50 fee will provide for an alcohol permit with a pavilion rental. There also is a $20 fee for vendors who wish to sell alcoholic beverages at approved community events in addition to the Exposition Permit from the PA Liquor Control Board, according to the ordinance.
The ordinance also reads that “no person shall possess any container of alcoholic beverage, whether wrapped or unwrapped, which has been opened or on which the seal has been broken in any manner in any public park or on the property comprising the public park in the Township except pursuant to a permit issued by the Township and in compliance with the requirements of the permit.”
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Anyone who violates any part of the ordinance may be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $600, plus the costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, imprisonment for a period not to exceed 30 days, per the ordinance.