Public Conduct in Pembroke Pines, FL

If you live in Pembroke Pines or are thinking about moving there, public conduct are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Pembroke Pines has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of public conduct, and some of them might surprise you.

Public Marijuana Use

Pembroke Pines police can issue an adult civil citation instead of an arrest when they catch someone with 20 grams or less of cannabis, or with paraphernalia tied to that amount, diverting the case out of criminal court under § 130.06. Accepting the citation requires giving up trial rights and, for cannabis, drug screening.

Key details: Program: Adult Civil Citation (ACC) Program. Governing section: § 130.06. Cannabis threshold: 20 grams or less. Cannabis citation condition: Mandatory drug screening. Refusing citation risk: Arrest instead.

Failing to complete the required education, counseling, restitution, or, for cannabis cases, the drug-screening and addiction-recovery steps under § 130.06(E)(6)-(7) sends the case back for criminal prosecution rather than resolving it civilly. Under § 130.06(E)(8), refusing to accept the citation in the first place can result in the officer making a full custodial arrest instead.

Pembroke Pines is more permissive than most cities when it comes to public marijuana use. That said, there are still limits.

Public Alcohol Use

Pembroke Pines Code § 97.06 bans bringing, drinking, or selling alcoholic beverages anywhere in a city park facility. The only exceptions are drinks sold by an official city concession and consumed on the concession premises, or beverages offered by a private vendor leasing city park space for food service. Unopened beer and wine sales are barred even at concessions.

Key details: Governing section: § 97.06, Alcoholic Beverages in Public Parks. Default rule: No bringing, drinking, or selling alcohol in parks. Concession exception: Individual drink only, consumed on-site. Container rule: Unopened beer/wine sales barred even at concessions. Enforcement: Park staff or police may eject violators (§ 97.99).

Violating § 97.06 is enforced under § 97.99: park personnel, the Director of Recreation and Cultural Arts, or any law enforcement officer may eject a violator from the park facility on the spot. A conviction is punished as a general Code violation under § 10.99, a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Pembroke Pines's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions

Pembroke Pines Code § 134.04 bans smoking, vaping, and carrying lit tobacco products in retail stores, elevators, theaters, buses, and all city parks, and adds outdoor buffer zones: no smoking within 25 feet of any municipal building entrance or in park bleachers, dugouts, seating areas, concession areas, or restrooms. Violations of the buffer-zone rule are a $25 civil infraction.

Key details: Governing section: § 134.04, Smoking in Certain Public Places Prohibited. Covered indoor places: Retail stores, elevators, theaters, buses. Outdoor buffer: 25 feet from municipal building entrances. Park buffer: Bleachers, dugouts, seating, concessions, restrooms. Buffer-zone fine: $25 civil infraction per violation.

Division (E)(2) makes a citation for smoking within the 25-foot municipal-building buffer or in the listed park areas a civil infraction carrying a flat $25 fine per violation. Any other violation of § 134.04, including smoking in a covered public place or removing a required warning sign, is punished under § 134.99, which defaults to the Title XIII general penalty in § 130.99: a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day a continuing violation counted separately.

This is one of the stricter rules in Pembroke Pines's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Loitering Rules

Pembroke Pines makes it a crime under Code § 134.07 to loiter in or around any public sidewalk, street, overpass, bridge, or shopping center when you know, or have reasonable cause to believe, that cannabis, narcotics, barbiturates, or another controlled substance is being used there. The general fine for the offense reaches $500 or 90 days in jail.

Key details: Covered locations: Sidewalks, streets, overpasses, bridges, shopping centers. Trigger: Known or reasonable-cause drug use nearby. Max fine: $500. Max jail term: 90 days. State cross-reference: F.S. § 856.021 loitering and prowling.

A § 134.07 violation is a criminal offense, not a civil infraction. On conviction, the general penalty in § 130.99 applies: a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, and each day a violation continues is charged as a separate offense. Pembroke Pines Police issue the charge based on the officer's reasonable cause to believe drug activity is occurring at the location.

The Bottom Line

Pembroke Pines is tougher than many cities when it comes to public conduct. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Pembroke Pines, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Pembroke Pines's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.