SLO is cracking down on St. Patrick’s Day partying this year. Here’s what to know
The city of San Luis Obispo is cracking down on St. Patrick’s Day partying this year with doubled fines over a longer time period.
People caught breaking noise ordinances and similar rules will face higher penalties for the weekends leading up to St. Patrick’s Day as well as the holiday weekend.
In a Jan. 9 meeting, the San Luis Obispo City Council adopted amendments to its safety enhancement zone ordinance.
Originally enacted in 2004, the ordinance “designates the entire city as a safety zone during specified times, imposing higher fines for related code violations,” according to a city staff report.
The ordinance doubles fines for noise complaints, unruly gatherings, public urination, open containers and dangerous or deadly weapons around holidays traditionally characterized by large parties, such as St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween.
During the zone times, fines for those violations range between $700 and $1,000.
SLO police: Parties tied to holidays ‘increasingly dangerous’
According to a Tuesday news release from the San Luis Obispo Police Department, public safety agencies in recent years have “observed the party behaviors surrounding these holidays become increasingly dangerous.”
Last year, a crowd of nearly 4,000 — mostly Cal Poly students — closed down streets near the university’s campus during an early-morning St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
In 2015, a roof collapsed during a St. Fratty’s Day party, injuring eight people.
When do doubled fines go into effect?
Previously the safety enhancement zone only encompassed St. Patrick’s Day.
With the amendment, it’s now in effect for the two weekends prior to March 17.
The first weekend zone goes into effect Friday at 12:01 a.m. and will last through Monday at 7 a.m.
The same enforcement hours apply during the following weekends: March 8 to March 11 and March 15 to March 18.
“With the holiday approaching, SLOPD asks that those planning to celebrate do so responsibly,” the department said in its release. “Always plan ahead and designate a sober driver or use rideshare apps, consume water and food, charge your mobile phone before heading to a party and stay with friends.”
The police department asked those “celebrating at home” to be mindful of noise, keep music low and inside and ask guests to be respectful of neighbors.
It also asked people to “pick up any trash generated from a party that ends up in the public right-of-way.”
The department is expected to “significantly increase staffing” during the safety enhancement zone period, according to the release.
“The police department will be taking a proactive and robust response to mitigate any negative and dangerous behaviors that may occur in the community,” the release said.
For more information on the city’s safety enhancement zones, visit its website at slocity.org
This story was originally published February 29, 2024 at 9:00 AM.
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