New Ordinance Holds Parents Responsible For Underage Parties

PALOS VERDES, CA – A social host ordinance holding parents responsible for underage drinking or marijuana smoking in unincorporated areas of the Palos Verdes Peninsula was approved by a vote Tuesday from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

The ordinance was adopted after a public hearing and will take effect in 30 days, according to county counsel.

Supervisor Janice Hahn proposed the one-year pilot ordinance, which mirrors regulations already in place in the four cities that make up the peninsula – Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates. The ordinance will apply to the neighborhoods of Academy Hills, Westfield and the Estates.

"It does not matter whether the adult is at home actually handing teenagers' beer or whether they're gone for the weekend and allowed their kids to throw a party. They would face a fine or community service in either scenario," Hahn said.

"Underage drinking is not just illegal, it too often can end in tragedy. I know parents who stay awake at night worried about whether their kids will make it home safe."

The ordinance includes cannabis use, which is illegal for recreational use by anyone under 21 despite recent legalization.

Elected officials, school principals and parents spoke in support of the ordinance, saying it would create consistency across the community, rather than focusing on city versus county jurisdictions. They expressed worry that without the ordinance, the unincorporated areas would become a magnet for big parties.

"All too often we react (after a tragedy) instead of being proactive," said Rod Uyeda, a retired Manhattan Beach police chief.

Uyeda told the board the ordinance could save someone from being sexually assaulted or getting behind the wheel and killing someone.

"This is a simple ordinance, one that teaches instead of punishes. It gives parents a tool to tell their kids no," Uyeda said.

Rolling Hills Estates Councilman Frank Zerunyan, who signed off on a similar prohibition for that city, said he originally thought that "teaching parenting to parents was not necessarily the government's function," but was ultimately persuaded that it was necessary to protect the community.

Palos Verdes Peninsula parent Sandra Valeri told the board, "Our goal is simple, we just want to protect the lives of our children."

Parents told stories of social media-driven parties that draw hundreds of teens and cited a recent survey of Palos Verdes 11th-graders showing that 60 percent reporting drinking alcohol at a party.

Palos Verdes Councilman Kenneth Kao called the ordinance "the closest thing to a legislative slam-dunk that you see these days," urging the board to "please help protect our kids now and in the future and pass this ordinance."

The ordinance calls for a $1,000 fine on first offense. Any additional offenses in a 12-month period would require parents to reimburse the costs of any emergency response by police or other officials, in addition to a fine. City ordinances call for a first-time fine of $2,500 and double that for a second violation.

Ventura County has social host ordinances that apply countywide, though fines and enforcement varies from city to city. About one-quarter of law enforcement officers surveyed for a 2009 study by Ventura County reported fewer calls for underage drinking parties after the regulations were passed, and some data showed the size of parties had dropped.

A 2014 study published by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs that surveyed 50 California cities found that strong social host policies were correlated with less drinking at parties but did not affect overall teen alcohol use.

The board's vote was 4-0, with Supervisor Sheila Kuehl abstaining.

The county will monitor the ordinance's impact and the board retained the ability to extend it after one year. Proponents said they hoped officials would ultimately choose to enforce it in unincorporated areas countywide.

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Shutterstock