Recent changes made in regards to the Isla Vista’s noise ordinance will be put into place on Feb. 10, according to the County Board of Supervisors.
The Sheriff’s office applied these changes in order to better help the issues the foot patrol in the area have been experiencing in recent years.
The new regulations include six sections, all listed on the Santa Barbara Sheriff website.
Individuals in Isla Vista can not make others pay in order to attend the event they are hosting and there can not be more than 250 people present without it being considered a music festival. In addition, alcohol may not be sold and can result in an arrest.
Certain times and dates that gatherings are “prohibited” includes Oct. 26 through Nov. 4 of each year as well as the first weekend of UCSB’s spring quarter. The breaking of these rules will result in consequences.
According to the ordinance, police are given the right to end a party if any of the following instances occur:
- Assault is committed towards a police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technicians
- Any non consensual sexual acts committed upon another person
- Assaulting another person with a weapon classified as deadly
- Having part in an underage person taking action in something they are not legally allowed to do
- Setting or trying to set something on fire
- Going against police officers, firefighters, or medics authority
- Committed sexual acts that can be interpreted as offensive
- Threaten or intimidate someone with a weapon
- Alcohol is given to a minor
Other instances that only have to occur once to get a party shut down include the following:
- Throwing objects that can cause either injury or damage
- People jumping from raised structures
- People being on rooftops
- Individuals being on the open bluffs
- Any party that forces people to pay in order to be allowed entry
- Selling alcohol
- A party obstructs the public’s right-of-way
If any of these sections are violated, authorities have full rights to take music equipment present at the gathering and keep them as “evidence” up until the court process has been dismissed.
According to the sheriff’s website, “Do not sell tickets for entry to a party, this is a violation of these sections and will result in citation or arrest, and collection of your music equipment. Do not sell or provide alcohol to party goers, do not host a party that is attended by more that two hundred and fifty people, and keep party goers off rooftops and bluffs.”
As long as one does not engage in these acts, the party should be allowed to continue.
