(a) This section shall apply to licensees other than a retail on-sale licensee or on-sale beer and wine licensee who is licensed and operates as a bona fide public eating place, as defined in Section 23038, 23038.1, or 23038.2, or as a hotel, motel, or similar lodging establishment, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 25503.16; a winegrowers license; a licensed beer manufacturer, as defined in Section 23357; a retail licensee who concurrently holds an off-sale retail beer and wine license and a beer manufacturer’s license for those same or contiguous premises; and a retail on-sale licensee or on-sale beer and wine licensee who is licensed and operates as a bona fide public eating place, as defined in Section 23038, 23038.1, or 23038.2, or as a hotel, motel, or similar lodging establishment, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 25503.16, a licensed beer manufacturer, as defined in Section 23357, or a winegrowers license, who sells off-sale beer and wine under the on-sale license on those same or contiguous premises.
(b) The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare to adopt operating standards as set forth in this section for specified retail premises licensed by the department. The standards set forth in this section are state standards that do not preclude the adoption and implementation of more stringent local regulations that are otherwise authorized by law.
(c) Other than as provided in subdivision (a), each retail licensee shall comply with all of the following:
(1) A prominent, permanent sign or signs stating “NO LOITERING IS ALLOWED ON OR IN FRONT OF THESE PREMISES” shall be posted in a place that is clearly visible to patrons of the licensee. The size, format, form, placement, and languages of the sign or signs shall be determined by the department. This paragraph shall apply to a licensee only upon written notice to the licensee from the department. The department shall issue this written notice only upon a request, from the local law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the premises are located, that is supported by substantial evidence that there is loitering adjacent to the premises.
(2) A prominent, permanent sign or signs stating “NO OPEN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINERS ARE ALLOWED ON THESE PREMISES” shall be posted in a place that is clearly visible to patrons of the licensee. The size, format, form, placement, and languages of the sign or signs shall be determined by the department. This paragraph shall apply to a licensee only upon written notice to the licensee from the department. The department shall issue this written notice only upon a request, from the local law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the premises are located, that is supported by substantial evidence that there is drinking in public adjacent to the premises.
(3) No alcoholic beverages shall be consumed on the premises of an off-sale retail establishment, and no alcoholic beverages shall be consumed outside the edifice of an on-sale retail establishment.
(4) The exterior of the premises, including adjacent public sidewalks and all parking lots under the control of the licensee, shall be illuminated during all hours of darkness during which the premises are open for business in a manner so that persons standing in those areas at night are identifiable by law enforcement personnel. However, the required illumination shall be placed so as to minimize interference with the quiet enjoyment of nearby residents of their property.
(5) Litter shall be removed daily from the premises, including adjacent public sidewalks and all parking lots under the control of the licensee. These areas shall be swept or cleaned, either mechanically or manually, on a weekly basis to control debris.
(6) Graffiti shall be removed from the premises and all parking lots under the control of the licensee within 72 hours of application. If the graffiti occurs on a Friday or weekend day, or on a holiday, the licensee shall remove the graffiti 72 hours following the beginning of the next weekday.
(7) No more than 33 percent of the square footage of the windows and clear doors of an off-sale premises shall bear advertising or signs of any sort, and all advertising and signage shall be placed and maintained in a manner that ensures that law enforcement personnel have a clear and unobstructed view of the interior of the premises, including the area in which the cash registers are maintained, from the exterior public sidewalk or entrance to the premises. However, this latter requirement shall not apply to premises where there are no windows, or where existing windows are located at a height that precludes a view of the interior of the premises to a person standing outside the premises.
(8) Upon request of the local law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the licensed premises are located or at the discretion of the department, each public telephone located on off-sale premises (or located in an adjacent area under the control of the off-sale licensee) shall be equipped with devices or mechanisms that prevent persons from calling into that public telephone.
(9) Every licensed retailer who sells or rents video recordings of harmful matter, as defined by Section 313 of the Penal Code, shall create an area within his or her business establishment for the placement of video recordings of harmful matter and for any material that advertises the sale or rental of these video recordings. This area shall be labeled “adults only.” The licensed retailer shall make reasonable efforts to arrange the video recordings in this area in such a way that minors may not readily access the video recordings or view the video box covers. The failure to create and label the “adults only” area is an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). The failure to place a video recording or advertisement, regardless of its content, in this area shall not constitute an infraction.
(10) A copy of the applicable operating standards shall be available during normal business hours for viewing by the general public.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 787, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2000.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018