No Wine-ing: City Responds to Laguna Beach's Popular Art Walk Alcohol Citations

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — On Nov. 3, Laguna Beach undercover officers and officers from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control cited five Art Walk galleries and two other businesses for serving alcohol without a license, according to Laguna Beach police Sgt. Tim Kleiser.

It is not known at this time if the owners knew that they needed a license to serve the beverages.

In the long standing popular Art Walk event, this is the first time the police have cited galleries and businesses for serving alcohol to customers according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

Police and ABC officers patrolled bars and restaurants on Nov. 3, seeking employees serving alcohol to an underage decoy that accompanied them, according to Kleiser's emailed statement. All seven citations issued were considered criminal misdemeanors, meaning they could result in a maximum $1,000 fine, up to one year in jail or both.

However, the Orange County District Attorney's Office will not pursue the citations according to Orange County District Attorney's Office Chief of Staff Susan Kang Schroeder.

"After consulting with the Laguna Beach Police Department, the OCDA refused the filing in the interest of justice," she said.

In a response to questions circling about Laguna Beach's Art Walk, and the citations that were issued during the event, the city manager and the office of the Laguna Beach Police Chief offered a response. According to John Pietig's office, the Laguna Beach Police Department has been working with the Art Walk Board to address issues related to the event.

According to the Police Chief Laura Farinella, some notices were provided to participating (Art Walk) businesses but the notices did not convey the necessary information to the right people.

"Unfortunately, citations were issued that exceeded the intent of the cooperative effort to gain compliance with all applicable laws," she said.

Pietig's office expanded, saying that even though citations were issued, "in the spirit of working with Art Walk participants, the City reached out to the District Attorney’s Office."

The Orange County District Attorney's office will not pursue those citations, and as of Nov. 30, all recipients of those citations have been notified.

"The City values the Art Walk program and how it celebrates our community’s heritage and culture," Pietig said.

According to Farinella, the Police Department will be working with the Art Walk organization over the next several months to establish an appropriate program that respects the purpose of the event while ensuring that a safe and legal environment is provided for all.

In the meantime, the event will continue while solutions are developed, they stated.

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