G.S. beach alcohol ban spans from March 1 thru April 28

G.S. beach alcohol ban spans from March 1 thru April 28

As they have every year since 2016, Gulf Shores City Council voted to continue its ban of alcohol on city beaches from March 1 thru April 28. The initial ban followed a raucous start to the 2016 spring break which drew rowdy crowds in the early weeks of the annual school break. The city sited large groups of spring breakers binge drinking, using illegal narcotics, and creating a dangerous atmosphere for themselves and others when first issuing the ban.
Orange Beach does not ban alcohol on the beach but steps up beach patrols during spring break and has a “zero tolerance” policy for alcohol, drug and DUI offenses.
“The primary goal of the Gulf Shores Police Department is to allow all visitors and residents to our city to have a safe and enjoyable experience,’’ said Chief of Police Dan Netemeyer. “To prevent issues which have plagued other popular Spring Break destinations in years past, we are assigning additional resources to the beach. area and implementing a zero tolerance approach with regard to all Alabama laws and Gulf Shores Municipal Ordinances.”
To that end, City Council also approved a $70,000 agreement with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department for additional law enforcement support during spring break and select events throughout the year.
The ban applies to all public beach areas within the city limits, from the eastern edge of the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge to the western boundary of Gulf State Park.