Umatilla council asks legal review after staff sold alcohol at city-owned golf course

Umatilla City Council on May 6 voted to seek immediate legal advice about a mismatch between the city’s park ordinance and the city’s current practice of selling alcohol at the Big River Golf Course.

The council’s action followed a lengthy discussion in which members and staff explained that the golf course is included in the city’s parks inventory but the park code — last fully reviewed in 2015 — still states that consumption of alcoholic beverages in parks is prohibited. Staff and council said the city holds an active Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) permit and that alcohol sales have continued during events and normal golf operations. The council directed staff to obtain legal counsel and return with recommended interim steps and ordinance language.

Why it matters: Councilors framed the item as a compliance and enforcement issue. If local code prohibits on-site consumption but the city is operating with an OLCC permit, that inconsistency creates legal and equity questions about enforcement. Several council members said the city must fix the code and asked whether sales should pause while counsel reviews the matter.

Most important facts: Staff told the council the golf course became a city-owned asset after the city purchased it in December 2020 and that the park code language had not been updated to reflect that change. City staff said the OLCC license transferred to the city and that operations at the clubhouse and some on-course activity have been treated as longstanding practice. Council members asked staff to determine whether distinctions exist between privately leased clubhouse areas and publicly owned course property in how the prohibition applies.

Discussion and direction: Council members pressed staff on enforcement and equitable application of the code, noting that private citizens would be cited for open containers while the city has been operating with alcohol sales. Councilors expressed differing views about whether sales should cease immediately; the council ultimately moved and approved a referral to the city attorney for legal guidance and directed staff to follow the attorney’s advice on any interim operational steps.

Next steps: Staff will request formal legal advice on: (1) whether the city’s OLCC authorization permits continued sales and consumption while the local park code stands as written; (2) whether distinct rules should apply to the clubhouse (a leased facility) versus the publicly owned course; and (3) proposed ordinance language to reconcile the code with current operations or to restrict sales. The council asked that staff return with recommended ordinance amendments and enforcement guidance.

Background: The issue arose during a code review of park rules and a parallel city effort to update multiple park-related ordinances. Councilors and staff cited the need to modernize park rules that predate the city’s ownership of the golf course and requested clarity about what constitutes a "special event," where overnight camping may be authorized, and how alcohol permits intersect with city parks code.

Ending: The council did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting; it approved a referral to legal counsel and asked staff to bring draft ordinance changes and interim operational guidance back for council review.