Buncombe County, NC Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Section 54-11(a) makes it unlawful for any person to possess, consume, display or sell alcoholic beverages, malt beverages or unfortified wine on the premises of, or within, any property owned, leased or operated by Buncombe County, subject only to the permit exception in subsection (b). To get that exception, an individual, organization or group must apply to the director of parks and recreation on the department's form. The director may grant a permit for a specific time and area if the use will not hinder any regularly established use of the county property, will not hurt the county's ability to care for, protect or maintain the property, and will not create a nuisance; otherwise the application must be denied.

Any permit granted is confined to a clearly designated area, alcohol cannot be carried out of that area into other parts of the property, and people not named on the permit application are barred from the designated area during the permitted time. Applicants must also separately obtain any required permits from the State of North Carolina, and alcohol is never allowed in boats or other rental or mechanical equipment even under a permit. The rule sits in the same Parks and Recreation chapter as the park weapons ban (Sec. 54-10) and the assembly-permit rule (Sec. 54-8), all enforced under the chapter's general penalty section.