Mayor to propose booze ban in village parks

By MARTIN WILBUR

Mount Kisco Mayor J. Michael Cindrich is planning to formally propose a local law that would prohibit alcohol possession in Leonard Park and the village’s other recreational facilities.

The proposal, which is being drawn up, is also likely to prohibit or regulate other behaviors and activities such as the setting off of fireworks and fires, disorderly conduct and attempting to ice skate in winter when the water may not be deemed sufficiently frozen.

Cindrich said he is also planning another section that would require dogs to be on a leash within the outdoor recreational facility at all times and restricting certain areas in parks where they can be brought, such as ball fields and playgrounds. However, dog owners would be able to still bring their pet onto the trails.

There would not be any restrictions on service dogs.

While enforcement could be challenging, Cindrich said he wants to send a clear message that the presence of alcohol in the parks will not be tolerated because it can lead to troublesome behavior. He hopes that there can be language developed to avoid ambiguous interpretations.

“This is something that’s not going to be easy to enforce, but we’re not going to have the excuse, Oh, I didn’t see them put the bottle to their mouth,” Cindrich said. “If you’re in the park with a cooler or a beer on the sidelines of a softball field, you’re in violation of the law. My suggestion is going to be the cooler and the contents of the cooler be confiscated and seized as evidence and the person who brought the cooler in, or the persons, is charged with a violation of the law.”

In addition to parks, most notably Leonard Park, it would also pertain to playgrounds and recreation centers. Currently, consumption of alcohol in parks is prohibited in Mount Kisco, but this would bolster the existing law to include possession.

Cindrich compared his proposal to the prohibition of any alcohol at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla, a county-operated facility. 

In recent years, there have been multiple incidents of individuals who have congregated in the parks and on the trails, often spotted with containers of alcohol. In the past, there have also been times when people were known to have been loitering in Leonard Park after dark, including in the dugouts of the baseball fields, sometimes with alcohol.

Enforcement would be done not only by Westchester County police officers, who are contracted by the village for coverage, but by other village personnel including parking enforcement and park employees.

“So, the park is sacred ground right now and we have to start taking control of it, not have people, we’ve found, in the dugouts with a bottle of wine or liquor or a can of beer,” Cindrich said. 

On April 17, a 22-year-old village man was arrested for setting fire to the deck at the Tea House in Leonard Park. It was not known whether alcohol played a role in that incident.

Another section would make sure there is no consumption of alcohol in any public spaces in the village unless a permit for a special event is issued by the village manager’s office after being approved by the village board.

Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora commended Cindrich for the proposal and called it “appropriate.” Flora added that she hopes the village would be able to include park rangers or extra personnel, particularly in summer after the municipal camp dismisses after 3 p.m.

The proposal will be discussed in greater detail at an upcoming village board work session.