Palm Beach County Officials announced they are banning visitors from drinking alcohol on the popular weekend hot spot, Peanut Island, The Palm Beach Post reported Monday.
Starting May 18, visitors will not be allowed to drink on the land unless they have a permit to use the county’s campsite, Eric Call, the Parks and Recreation Director told the Post.
But drinking onboard an anchored boat offshore is still allowed.
“We want people to enjoy themselves on boats,” Call told the Post. “As long as they are acting responsibly, that’s fine.”
Call also said water taxis operators will not transport visitors to the island if they have alcohol with them.
The reason for the ban? Call said that department has received a lot of complaints from police and the residents about the “inappropriate behavior of those engaged in alcohol consumption,” the Post reported.
This was the last straw for officials after multiple offenses have occurred here.
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Police began to keep close watch on the island after two videos at the island were posted on YouTube. In one video, a group of people who captured a spotted eagle ray, cut off its tail and tortured it. In the other, Circuit Judge Richard Wennet was recorded saying, “nice breasticals,” referring to a woman who was sunbathing topless. “Where is law enforcement when you need them?” he said.
In 2007, police caught 19 kids drinking underage, and fined 23 boaters for violations. Last year, young adults harassed several groups of people while getting off a water taxi after partying that day.
Karen Marcus, city commissioner, told the Post she’s pushed for the ban for over nine months due to complaining residents.
"There kept being issues on the island," Marcus said. “I was getting a lot of people saying, 'this used to be a family place and now it is turning over to people coming to get drunk.’”
Signs will be posted on the island this week to warn visitors of the new rules, and violators could be fined and ordered to appear in court.
