York County, SC Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code Section 90.01(G)
- Scope
- County parks and boat landings only
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 30 days jail
- Event exception
- Alcohol only, approved under Section 90.03
- Enacted
- Ord. 47 (1979); amended Ord. 4715 (2015)
Summary
York County bans consuming or displaying any intoxicating beverage at every county-owned park and public boat landing under Code Section 90.01(G). The rule covers Ebenezer Park, Allison Creek Park, Catawba Bend Preserve and every county boat ramp in the unincorporated area. Violators face the county's general penalty of up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail under Section 10.99, since Chapter 90 sets no separate fine for this offense.
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess any of the following articles or commit any of the following acts at any public boat landing or park open to the general public: ... (G) Consuming or displaying in public any intoxicating beverage, narcotic drug, barbiturate, paraldehyde or drug or other substance of like character;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
" The rule traces to the 1977 Code Section 12-6, was adopted as Ordinance 47 on December 3, 1979, and was most recently amended by Ordinance 4715 on December 7, 2015. Alongside the alcohol clause, the same section bars vandalizing county equipment, harming wildlife, unauthorized fires, illegal dumping, firearms, speeding, disorderly conduct and loitering at the same facilities. 99(A) treats a denial or revocation of that approval as an administrative remedy rather than a criminal penalty. 01, including drinking or displaying alcohol without that approval, is prosecuted as a misdemeanor.
The ban applies only inside county-owned parks and at public boat landings in the unincorporated area, covering facilities such as Ebenezer Park, Allison Creek Park and Catawba Bend Preserve. It does not reach Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, York or Clover, which are separate incorporated municipalities enforcing their own park rules, and it has no effect on Catawba Indian Nation trust land inside the county, which sits outside county jurisdiction entirely.
Violations & Fines
Section 90.99(A) routes a Section 90.01(G) violation to the county's general penalty, Section 10.99: a fine of up to $500 and/or up to 30 days' imprisonment, capped at whatever a comparable state offense would carry. Sheriff's deputies and county code enforcement officers write the citations at parks and boat landings. Each day or instance is treated as a separate offense, and Section 10.99(B) lets the county additionally pursue any resulting condition as an abatable public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink a beer at Ebenezer Park in York County?
Is there an exception for weddings or other events at a county park?
Does this ordinance cover Rock Hill or Fort Mill parks?
What else is banned along with alcohol under Section 90.01(G)?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina public conduct overview
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