Clackamas County says ‘no’ to drinking in parks

Residents will have to apply for a permit to bring alcohol into county parks

By Matthew Graham

The Clackamas Review, Mar 4, 2010, Updated Mar 4, 2010

courtesy of CCSO / clackamas Review

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office officials reported 'near-riot conditions' on the Clackamas River Fourth of July weekend in 2007.

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Clackamas County last week limited the ability for people to drink alcohol in its parks primarily in response to what it sees as the escalating problem of drunken people floating from Barton to Carver parks in the summer and the need to provide a heightened police presence there.

“I think it makes sense,” said Commissioner Bob Austin. “I hope people aren’t finding other access points (to the river), but I think it’s a good thing to do based on the usage we’ve seen.”

County Chairwoman Lynn Peterson said the move came after years of discussion that began three years ago, when police reported “near-riot conditions” on a warm Fourth of July weekend.

The county also voted to increase park entrance fees from $3 to $5 per day. Season and annual passes will also be available.

The county will allow people to apply for permits to bring alcohol into parks, so campers and picnickers can still drink if they want. The main push was to limit the large crowds who show up from all over the region in the summers and float. Commissioner Charlotte Lehan said the permits allow them more oversight and inherently make people more responsible.

“It raises the responsibility level when someone has their name on the line as the user, and those would be very easy to obtain,” she said.

A number of residents living on the river spoke in support of the measures, saying they were sick of being verbally abused by floaters, seeing the riparian area damaged, having litter thrown about and having people urinating in their yards.

But as many residents spoke against the measure, saying it was overkill and actually accommodating the floaters with more port-a-potties and parking would ease the tension seen in years past.

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