Santa Barbara County officials voted this week to approve a 72-hour festival ban aimed at shutting down the annual unsanctioned “Deltopia” street party in Isla Vista, citing public safety concerns, strained emergency resources and hundreds of past arrests and citations.
The ordinance, approved unanimously by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, would prohibit unsanctioned gatherings during the first weekend of University of California, Santa Barbara’s spring quarter — the period traditionally associated with Deltopia — according to The Santa Barbara Independent.
County officials said the annual bluffside street party routinely draws thousands of people and has led to sharp spikes in arrests, emergency medical calls and public-safety costs. Data presented during the meeting showed that emergency medical services calls during past Deltopia weekends have surged far beyond normal levels…