Alhambra, CA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Alcohol threshold
- Above one-half of one percent ABV
- Covered locations
- Streets, sidewalks, parkways, public parking lots
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 9.16.010
- Last amended
- February 26, 2024 (Ord. No. 4828)
- Penalty basis
- General penalty, § 1.12.010
Summary
Alhambra bans possessing an open container of alcohol above one-half of one percent alcohol by volume on any street, sidewalk, parkway, or public parking lot citywide under Municipal Code § 9.16.010. The prohibition covers every public street and sidewalk in the city, not just a designated entertainment district, and was most recently amended by Ordinance No. 4828 on February 26, 2024.
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess an open container of any malt, spirituous or vinous liquor containing more than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume, upon any street, sidewalk, parkway or public parking lot within the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 4851, passed 10-27-25).
Full Breakdown
16 of Title IX (Public Peace, Safety and Morals), makes it unlawful for any person to possess an open container of malt, spirituous, or vinous liquor above one-half of one percent alcohol by volume on any street, sidewalk, parkway, or public parking lot in Alhambra. The rule targets possession alone; a person need not be drinking, only holding an unsealed container above the alcohol threshold in one of those four location categories. It traces to Ordinance No. 2215, was amended by Ordinance No. 2957, and was most recently updated by Ordinance No.
32. Because the ban is written to specific location categories, it does not by its terms reach private property, city parks, or licensed outdoor dining patios; those areas are addressed by other chapters, including separate outdoor-dining and park rules in the smoking ordinance. 010, with the City Attorney retaining discretion over how the charge is prosecuted. Each day an open container remains in a covered location can be treated as a separate, continuing offense under that same general-penalty section.
Violations & Fines
A violation is prosecutable under the citywide general penalty, § 1.12.010: a fine set by City Council resolution or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, though the City Attorney can instead charge it as a lesser infraction. Because the code treats continuing violations as separate daily offenses, possessing an open container across multiple days or locations can produce multiple citations rather than one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What locations does Alhambra's open container law cover?
What alcohol content counts as covered by the ban?
What happens if I'm cited for an open container in Alhambra?
When was the open container ordinance last changed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alhambra
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