Highland, CA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Section 12.06.070 of the Highland Municipal Code has three operative parts. Subsection B makes it unlawful to drink or consume, or attempt to drink or consume, any alcoholic beverage while in or upon any public park, street, alley, highway or other public place in the City of Highland, except in those public places where drinking is expressly permitted by law. Subsection C separately makes it unlawful, in those same places, to offer, furnish or give an alcoholic beverage to another person. Subsection A supplies the evidentiary shortcut: a person possessing an open container containing an alcoholic beverage and having an odor of alcoholic beverage on the breath is presumed to be drinking or attempting to drink at that location. The code labels this a presumption affecting the burden of producing evidence under Sections 603 and 604 of the California Evidence Code.

Section 12.06.010 defines alcoholic beverage broadly: alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, beer and every liquid or solid containing alcohol, spirits, wine or beer, with one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume, fit for beverage purposes either alone or when diluted, mixed or combined with other substances.

Subsection D directs the city manager to post a sign at each entrance to every city park stating, substantially, that possession, offering and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages in the City park are a misdemeanor, citing Highland Municipal Code Section 12.06.070. The same chapter sets park hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in § 12.06.080, and the exception for places where drinking is expressly permitted by law leaves room for licensed premises and permitted events elsewhere.