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

Tustin City Code § 6310 makes it unlawful for any person to drink an alcoholic beverage on any public street, highway, sidewalk, alley, restroom, or other property owned or maintained by the City. A second clause goes further: while in a public park, on a public sidewalk, street, in a public building, or in any area designated for public parking, a person may not consume or possess an alcoholic beverage in an open container, one whose seal has been broken, or whose contents have been partially removed.

The rule reaches possession of an open container, not merely drinking, which lets officers cite someone carrying an unsealed can or bottle even without seeing them take a sip. An exception exists for premises within a park or public place that hold an Alcoholic Beverage Control license, or that have a special-event permit issued by the Director of Community Development with written approval of the City Manager and Chief of Police. The ordinance traces to Ord. No. 63 and was amended in 1981 and again in 2009 (Ord.

No. 1364). A related provision, Tustin City Code § 7112, separately bars alcohol in City parks and playgrounds except under a written permit issued by the Director of Community Services. Because no penalty is stated within § 6310 itself, a violation falls under the Code's general penalty provision, Tustin City Code § 1121, which classifies most Code violations as infractions for a first and second offense before escalating to a misdemeanor.