Board discusses delivery rules and 2 a.m. consumption confusion; asks staff to draft clarifications

The board spent extensive time on proposed changes to local rules and regulations, focusing on two issues: delivery of alcohol under state statute and a longstanding confusion about consumption after 2 a.m. on premises.

On delivery, staff noted state statute (section cited in transcript as 12301 b) allows delivery but that local rules currently prohibit it; the board discussed whether to retain the county prohibition, allow delivery by conditional approval or require businesses seeking delivery to come before the board for authorization. Several members worried about enforcement and underage deliveries. The board asked staff to research how other counties handle delivery and to return with draft rules and a proposal for a formal vote, allowing the Retail Beverage Association time to provide input.

On the 2 a.m. consumption question, board members noted overlapping language that says customers may remain on premises for a half hour after closing but also that consumption is not allowed after 2 a.m. The board agreed the language creates confusion and asked staff to draft a clarifying amendment for next month's meeting; a suggested option is to retain the half-hour presence allowance but explicitly state that no alcohol may be consumed during that half-hour.

No formal change was adopted at the Jan. 10 meeting; the board asked for draft rule language and comparison information from other counties for consideration next month.