SAN MARCOS -- Bartenders and wait-staff members in San Marcos restaurants and bars would have to undergo mandatory alcoholic beverage server training if they want to continue working locally, under a draft ordinance the city is considering.

Clerks in convenience, liquor and grocery stores that sell alcohol would face the same requirement if the ordinance is passed.

Deputy City Manager Lydia Romero said Tuesday the mandatory training ordinance is still in the development phase, and it will probably be at least two months before a city commission that is discussing the proposal decides whether to forward it to the City Council.

Modeled after a similar ordinance that the city of Solana Beach approved in 2007, the San Marcos version aims to ensure that those selling or serving alcohol can tell when a customer has had too much to drink and needs to be cut off, said Romero.

The training, which is free, also would cover effective ways for dealing with such situations, teach participants how to spot fake identification cards and emphasize the importance of encouraging customers to eat while they drink, as a way to slow the effects of alcohol, she said.

Romero also said businesspeople will get a chance to weigh in on the proposal at a workshop the city plans to hold before making any decisions about the proposal.

A local brewery and several health-oriented nonprofits have already bought into the concept, though.

"As a business that serves alcohol, we have a responsibility to our community," said San Marcos Brewery manager Dean Jacobson, explaining why the restaurant recently sent the city a letter in support of mandatory training.

He said the brewery has required employees to attend the training class since the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began offering the sessions in 1993.

"It's a simple process -- our employees are hired, they go to the class," Jacobson said.

North Inland Community Prevention Program was the impetus behind the proposed ordinance.

A Poway-based nonprofit operated by Mental Health Systems and funded by the county's Alcohol and Drug Services, the program monitors alcohol trends throughout the region and conducts assessments designed to determine whether people and businesses are complying with alcohol-related laws.

Celeste Young, a prevention specialist with the program, said Wednesday that she asked San Marcos to consider requiring its alcohol sellers and servers to undergo training because the presence of Cal State San Marcos and Palomar College means the city has a large student population.

The city's proactive approach to similar issues also impressed her, Young said. A commission's creation and a recently enacted ordinance aimed at preventing so-called mini-dorms were among the examples she cited.

"This is kind of a logical progression, I think, because when you've got more than three or four (college students) living in a house, that's generally what they do to entertain themselves," she said, referring to drinking.

Commission Chairwoman Kathleen Kildoo said she was surprised to learn San Marcos does not require any training for alcohol sellers or servers.

"(My) son works part-time in that industry in Virginia, and it's a requirement there for that kind of training," she said. "And those of us who volunteer to serve alcohol for Chamber (of Commerce) events, we're all required to go through training."

Because the training is free and readily available, Romero said, city officials so far see only benefits for the affected businesses.

"The only thing is, it's an investment of time," she said. "The plus side for businesses is it will help decrease instances of enforcement actions that the (state Alcoholic Beverage Control Department) has and hopefully reduce insurance premiums. So there is some tangible benefits for businesses to participate."

Contact staff writer Andrea Moss at (760) 739-6654 or amoss@nctimes.com.