How Revere Handles Public Conduct: A Practical Guide

Revere maintains 121 local ordinances across all categories, and 6 of those deal specifically with public conduct. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Revere falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Skateboarding Rules

Revere bans motorized scooters and motorized skateboards from every public way, street, sidewalk and any city-owned property under City Code Section 10.16.171. The ban targets powered devices: state-licensed motor vehicles, vehicles used by handicapped riders and landscaping equipment are exempt. A first offense draws only a warning; every offense after that carries a flat one-hundred-dollar fine enforced by the Revere Police Department.

Key details: Devices covered: Motorized scooters and skateboards. Where banned: Public ways, sidewalks, city property. First offense: Warning only. Repeat offense fine: $100 per offense. Exempt: Licensed motor vehicles, handicapped, landscaping.

A first violation of Section 10.16.171 draws only a warning from Revere police. Any offense after that, whether on a public way, a sidewalk or city property, is punished by a fine of one hundred dollars, assessed per offense rather than per day. The ordinance does not authorize confiscation of the device or additional penalties beyond the flat fine.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Revere actively enforces its skateboarding rules requirements.

Jaywalking

Revere requires pedestrians to use a marked crosswalk when one exists within 300 feet and an officer, traffic signal, or the crosswalk itself controls the crossing point. Anyone who crosses elsewhere must yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway, and violators are punished under the state's pedestrian penalty statute.

Key details: Crosswalk-use trigger distance: 300 feet from officer, signal, or crosswalk. Duty outside a crosswalk: Pedestrian must yield right-of-way to vehicles. Tunnel/overpass rule: Must use it instead of crossing at street level. Enforcement: All Revere city police officers. Penalty basis: M.G.L. c. 90, § 18A, not a local fine.

A pedestrian who crosses outside a required crosswalk, or fails to yield when jaywalking elsewhere, is punished as provided in Chapter 90, Section 18A of the General Laws per § 10.48.160. A person cited for another vehicle-operation violation of the chapter instead faces a fine up to the maximum the General Laws authorize for each offense.

Public Alcohol Use

Revere bans drinking alcoholic beverages on any public way, park, playground, or private land open to public access, without the property owner's consent, under Section 9.04.040. Officers seize any alcohol used in violation and hold it until the case is resolved, and a conviction carries a fine of $200 to $300.

Key details: Prohibited without consent: Public ways, parks, playgrounds, private land. Fine range: $200 to $300 per conviction. Alcohol handling: Seized, held until case resolved. Governing definition: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 138, § 1. Adopted: C.O. 88-272A, amending C.O. 83-339.

A conviction under Section 9.04.040 carries a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $300. Any alcohol found in violation is seized on the spot and held by police until the case is finally resolved in court, then returned to whoever is legally entitled to it once the underlying charge is decided.

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

Public Marijuana Use

Revere bars smoking, ingesting or otherwise using marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol on any street, sidewalk, park, beach, parking lot, or other place accessible to the public, with a $300 fine per offense. Refusing to give a true name to police issuing a citation adds another $300 fine.

Key details: Fine, public use: $300 per offense. Fine, false/no ID: Additional $300. Covered locations: Streets, parks, beaches, public buildings, transit. Enforcing agency: Board of health, Revere Police. Adopted: C.O. 09-006, 4/6/2009.

Public use draws a $300 fine per offense under Section 9.17.010.C, enforced by the board of health or the police department through criminal complaint or noncriminal disposition. Refusing to give a true name and address to a citing officer adds a separate $300 fine, and failing to show identification within 24 hours of a citation adds another $300 fine under Section 9.17.010.D.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Revere actively enforces its public marijuana use requirements.

Loitering Rules

Revere bars loitering or sauntering on the steps, portico or approach of any public building, school, house of worship or public hall when it interferes with public safety, comfort or convenience. Under Section 9.08.040, anyone there must leave the moment a police officer, owner or person in charge orders them to depart.

Key details: Covered locations: Public buildings, schools, churches, halls. Trigger: Refusing an order to depart. Who can order departure: Police, owner, or person in charge. Default penalty: Up to $300/offense, Sec. 1.16.010. Adopted: C.O. 77-88 (1977).

Loitering near a public building, school, house of worship or public hall becomes an offense only after the person refuses to leave when a police officer, the owner, or another person in charge orders them to depart. Because Section 9.08.040 carries no penalty of its own, a violation is punished under the general penalty clause, up to $300 per offense, with each day of a continuing refusal a separate offense.

Revere is more permissive than most cities when it comes to loitering rules. That said, there are still limits.

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions

Revere bans smoking in any public park or other public place under the city's control, defining smoking broadly to include lighted or vaporized substances and marijuana used for medical or recreational purposes. The ban was enacted to keep parks alcohol, drug, tobacco and weapon free.

Key details: Covered locations: Public parks; city-controlled public places. Includes: Vaping and marijuana smoking. Signage: Parks posted Alcohol/Drug/Tobacco/Weapon Free. Adopted: C.O. 18-233, 3/11/2019. Section: § 9.08.112.

Section 9.08.112 does not print its own penalty amount, but it was enacted as part of ordinance 18-233 alongside 9.08.116, which authorizes enforcement of park violations by noncriminal disposition under G.L. c. 40, Section 21D or by filing a criminal complaint, with a $300 fine per offense for the weapons provision in that same ordinance.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Revere actively enforces its outdoor smoking restrictions requirements.

The Bottom Line

Revere is tougher than many cities when it comes to public conduct. Out of the 6 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Revere, 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 Revere's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.