Whereas, The City of Chicago is a home-rule unit of government under Article VII, Section 6(a) of the 1970 Constitution of the State of Illinois and, as such, may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs;
Whereas, Promoting the safety, health, and welfare of those who work, visit, and reside within the City's borders plain meets this criterion; and
Whereas, encouraging the responsible sales and consumption of alcohol is a reasonable means to promote and enhance public safety and welfare of residents and visitors within Chicago; and
Whereas, consuming alcohol in motor vehicles while parked on the public way is a likely contributor to drunken or impaired driving; and
Whereas, illegal consumption of open containers of alcohol on the public way diminishes the beauty, serenity, and public safety of the City of Chicago and it's neighborhoods and business districts; now therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
SECTION 1. The foregoing recitals, are hereby incorporated as the findings of the City City Council.
SECTION 2. Section 8-4-030 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by inserting the language underscored and deleting the language struckthrough, as follows:
8-4-030 Drinking in public ways - Exceptions.
(a) (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to drink any alcoholic liquor as defined by law on any public way or in or about any motor vehicle upon a public way in the city. Provided, however, that this subsection (a)(1) shall not apply to:
any portion of the public way occupied by a sidewalk cafe permitted pursuant to Chapter 10-28 of this Code which is properly licensed to sell alcoholic liquor, or
any portion of the public way located on Navy Pier, if: (1) the alcoholic liquor being consumed on such public way was purchased at an establishment holding a valid Navy Pier liquor license under Section 4-60-071; and (2) such alcoholic liquor is in a disposable cup that clearly ide...
Click here for full text