Drinking Laws on St. Pete Beach May Change Soon

Current Drinking Laws on St. Pete Beach

Chapter 6 of the City Code restricts where the public can consume or possess alcoholic beverages. Ordinance 2015-10 was adopted on June 25, 2015 which prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages on or upon all public streets, all public beach lands, any public sidewalk, any city park, and all private sand beach areas upland of the Gulf of Mexico excluding the conditional use process for special events and special occasions.

Change is coming for St. Pete Beach Drinking Laws

At the request of the City Commission, staff did further research on the ability to allow limited consumption of alcoholic beverages on the sand beach. Staff met with several hoteliers, and with the Sheriff and his representatives. As a result, the Ordinance specifically outlines criteria for allowing for drinking in conjunction with a transient lodging facility.

The allowance would be for the consumption of alcohol within the confines of a rented cabana structure in a designated “Cabana Service Area”.

The Ordinance puts several protection measures in place that allow the transient lodging facilities to enhance the guest experience and safeguard the alcohol from leaving the designated area.

Keith Overton, the Presidend of TradeWinds Island Resort says ““It’s almost an expectation,” “If you’re going to pay the higher rates of a full-service hotel, you should be able to have a daiquiri or a Pina Colada sitting in your cabana.”

As of the August 8th City Commission meeting,  St. Pete Beach officials have tentatively approved alcohol consumption outside beachfront hotels. If the new Ordinance is passed and fully implemented, drinking would only be available and sold to registered hotel guests in cabana areas. I would still be banned for residents and on all other areas of the beach.

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