Mason County, WA Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Section 9.44.030, part of Chapter 9.44 governing county-owned real property including parks and land held in trust, states that opening, possessing alcoholic beverage in an open container, or consuming any alcoholic beverages in any county park, on county-owned real property, or property held in trust shall be prohibited except in designated areas and under specific circumstances. Two exceptions apply: alcohol is allowed in a leased or rented building, or a designated signed area, where the lessee holds and displays a valid permit from the Washington State Liquor Control Board, and park hosts may possess and consume alcohol inside their own recreational vehicle or residence on-site.

A related provision, Section 9.44.040, separately bars being or remaining intoxicated, or loitering while intoxicated, in a county park area, county-owned real property, or property held in trust, and specifically bars park hosts from being intoxicated while performing host duties. Both sections were amended by Ordinance No. 79-19 (August 20, 2019) and Ordinance No. 123-19 (December 17, 2019), which retitled and updated Chapter 9.44. The chapter applies only to county-owned park, trust, and other real property in unincorporated Mason County, distinct from the City of Shelton's own municipal code, and it sits beside separate county-park bans on fireworks (Section 9.44.060) and firearms (Section 9.44.090).