Once again, the city of Gulf Shores will be enforcing alcohol-free beaches during the upcoming spring break season, as the new tourist season kicks off.

At their Jan. 22 city council meeting, council members approved a motion to ban alcohol on beaches within the city limits from March 1 to April 28 to promote the "health, safety and welfare of visitors and residents." The motion was presented in tandem with another, in which they approved to increase police presence within the city during the spring break season.

Per the meeting's presented documents, it will be unlawful for any person to possess or consume any alcoholic beverage on the sand of any portion of the beach east of the eastern boundary of the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge, west of the western boundary of Gulf State Park and seaward of the line of sand stabilization fencing installed by the city as part of the beach projects established on the Gulf front beaches within city limits.

"Every year since 2016, we have had an alcohol ban on the beach, and it's a very successful program," Deputy Chief of Police Dan Nettermeyer said. "Hopefully, we will be reducing beach rescues by not allowing alcohol on the beaches."

The recurring ordinance has been the city's solution to issues that the police department encountered during the early days of the spring break season. According to police reports, large groups of spring breakers were observed binge drinking, using illegal drugs and creating a dangerous atmosphere for themselves and other visitors.

Each year, city council approves a resolution establishing the dates for the spring break alcohol ban in coordination with the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism Board as spring break dates change each year, but the ban does not appear to impact tourism dollars as the city has seen a slight uptick in tax revenues during the respective period since 2017.

Violators are subject to fines of up to $500 and six months in jail.