§ 5-40.01. Findings.

(a)

Underage persons consuming alcoholic beverages at gatherings held at private residences or at rented residential and commercial premises is harmful to the underage persons themselves and a threat to the peace, health, safety, quiet enjoyment of residential property and the general welfare of the public. Underage persons, who have been consuming alcoholic beverages, are at greater risk to be in automobile accidents, to commit suicide, to be assaulted, and to suffer sexual assaults.

(b)

Persons responsible for the occurrence of these types of gathering on private property over which they have possession or control have failed to ensure that alcoholic beverages are neither served to nor consumed by underage persons at these parties.

(c)

Problems associated with gatherings involving underage persons drinking alcohol are difficult to prevent and deter. Police need effective tools to deal with the issue of underage drinking and its attendant problems. If persons are held civilly responsible by having to pay a fine for hosting a party where there is underage drinking, they will be more likely to properly supervise or stop such conduct at events held on property under their possession or control.

(d)

In the past and present, law enforcement, fire and other emergency response services personnel have and are required to respond, sometimes on multiple occasions, to these types of gatherings. The repeated return of police officers to the location of an event constitutes a drain of emergency personnel and resources, often leaving other areas of the City without police protection or with unreasonably limited protection. Responses to such gatherings also result in a disproportionate expenditure of public safety resources of the City of Simi Valley, which are underwritten by general municipal taxes paid to the City by its taxpayers and residents.

(§ 1 (part), Ord. 1093, eff. July 5, 2006)