Law Prohibiting Underage Drinking on Private Property Passed

The township committee passed an ordinance Thursday that would deem underage drinking on private property a crime.

“This is one of our initiatives to try to deter underage drinking,” Most said earlier this month. “I’m glad that this town came together and actually has an ordinance on the books.”

that would fine violators $250 for the first offense and $350 for any subsequent offense. The court also could suspend or postpone for six months the driving privileges of the defendant, if convicted.

“It’s not going to solve the problem of underage drinking but it’s another tool that can be used,” Municipal Alliance Coordinator Heather Scanlon previously said.

Scanlon is hoping the new ordinance will create awareness regarding the liabilities of allowing those who are underage to drink on private property, she said.

The ordinance also includes a 911 immunity. If an underage person calls 911 to report an emergency as a result of alcohol consumption, the individual is immune from prosecution.

Resident Jim Letellier commended the township committee for passing the ordinance and called it a “useful tool” to enforce underage drinking.

“I would encourage people to look at the ordinance once it’s posted online,” he said.

Some have shown concern that such an ordinance may prohibit parents from serving their child wine at a religious or family gathering, he said.

“By state law and this ordinance, there are certain exceptions that are in place for religious, family type events,” Letellier said. “This is really to target underage drinking that’s abused, wild parties, out of control parties.”

Another target is unsupervised parties, township attorney Lauren Staiger said.

More than 13 municipalities in Ocean County, including Brick Township, have passed similar ordinances. According to a survey conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey in 2007 and 2009, 305 out of 455 communities had enacted a private property ordinance.

The original ordinance dated Nov. 8, 2011 is attached to this article as a PDF. Language has since been changed to represent individuals as “underage” as opposed to “minors.”