The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a 72-hour noise ordinance for the first weekend of spring quarter, effectively canceling Deltopia, Isla Vista’s annual unsanctioned street festival, at their Jan. 13 board meeting.
The Board of Supervisors voted in support of the ordinance, mutually agreeing on Deltopia’s threat to bluff safety and attraction for non-locals. Sara Stevens / Daily Nexus
The ordinance was initially proposed by Isla Vista Foot Patrol (IVFP) Lieutenant Joe Schmidt in October, citing Deltopia’s strain on medical resources and its harmful effects on the area. Since then, IVFP made an amendment to the ordinance to allow Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) to host an alternative, permitted event.
After a presentation from Schmidt and public comments from 23 people, the Board of Supervisors voted in support of the ordinance, mutually agreeing on Deltopia’s threat to bluff safety and attraction for non-locals. Schmidt estimated that non-locals make up about 30-50% of the event’s arrests.
Since its initial proposal, there have been several community outreach efforts leading up to the meeting to bring the ordinance to the forefront of UC Santa Barbara students’ and Isla Vista residents’ attention. Third-year political science major and Associated Students (A.S.) External Vice President for Local Affairs (EVPLA) E.J. Raad, who hosted the Save Deltopia Town Hall in November, spoke at public comment against the ordinance.
While Raad acknowledged the safety concerns of Deltopia, he said the ordinance would be “ineffective” and “completely counterproductive,” citing the Halloween noise ordinance placed in 1993, which he said took 21 years “to see an actual reduction in crowd sizes.”
“Ordinances don’t change behavior. They lead to increased tension in the community,” Raad said.
According to Raad, the UCSB A.S. Program Board will be funding $140,000 toward the alternative event. Sara Stevens / Daily Nexus
As for how the county will ensure the ordinance is successful, Second District Supervisor Laura Capps cited the creation of IVCSD and their plan for a sanctioned event.
“I love representing Isla Vista, and we just need to make sure that we track how this goes. We’re constantly making sure that we make changes to this if need be, and that we have a good dialogue going on so we can change this if we need to,” Capps said in an interview with the Nexus.
Prior to the board’s vote, Schmidt gave a presentation highlighting the history of the event, which was popularized in 2008 as “Floatopia.” Schmidt highlighted that Deltopia saw an estimated 30,000 people in 2025, which is nearly double the amount of residents of I.V. He also said the Santa Barbara County (SBC) Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department’s overtime payment has exceeded $1.1 million since 2010, and the city of Goleta currently spends about $30,000 annually on cleanup.
“This ordinance is not about government control. It’s about protecting the people and the environment and changing the harmful culture of Deltopia to prevent future tragedy. Let’s be proactive and affect change now,” Schmidt said.
Additionally, Vince Pierucci, director of local emergency medical services, cited a spike in medical calls on Deltopia. According to Pierucci, a normal spring Saturday sees roughly 40 EMS calls in the greater Santa Barbara area, with two of those being in I.V. Last Deltopia saw 122 medical calls, with the median age of patients being 19.
Division Chief of Operations for the SBC Fire Department Patrick Byde said extra staffing for Deltopia is at a “non-reimbursed cost to the county,” as they have to pull fire engines from surrounding areas.
In the board’s deliberations, Capps said she supported the ordinance due to concern for bluff safety.
“We have to move the party to a safer place … We have to get people off of Del Playa [Drive]. So with that, I’m going to be supporting this ordinance,” Capps said.
Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann said I.V.’s party culture and first responders’ difficulty in responding to emergencies during Deltopia have inclined him to not “risk another death because we didn’t stand up here.” Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson agreed to the ordinance, as he believes the ordinance and alternative event are “going to be a tool” to solve these issues.
“To do enforcement, we have to have real tools. This is something that I think the sheriff’s department’s bringing to us, saying this is something that would help them … and because of that, I’m supportive,” Nelson said.
According to Raad, the UCSB A.S. Program Board will be funding $140,000 toward the alternative event. Additionally, the IVCSD will be hosting a town hall next Tuesday for the community to “share their vision for what they want to see in this event,” according to IVCSD President Spencer Brandt.
A version of this article appeared on p. 1 of the Jan. 15 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
