Editor’s note: This article is available in Spanish here.
Twenty years ago between California and Foothill Blvd., pepper bullets were fired and tear gas was dispersed into the crowd. What started as a civil celebration turned into a day filled with more than 180 arrests.
After this, the 9.22 ordinance was introduced.
The 9.22 ordinance enforces designated sections of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code and subjects those who violate these codes to double the fines.
This has continued since 2004, but recently residents of San Luis Obispo “have been experiencing some greater impacts from noise of large gathering type calls associated with traditional holiday times such as St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween,” Chief Scott said during the city council meeting on Jan. 9.
To combat this, SLOPD has added some changes for this upcoming “St. Fratty’s Day” and Halloween Safety Enhancement Zones.
A Safety Enhancement Zone is a period designated by the city where fines are doubled for violations including unruly gatherings, open containers, public urination and other violations.
Fees for violations during these designated periods are $700 instead of $350 for a first offense, or $1,000 for a second offense in a 12-month period instead of $700. SLOPD is also extending the period of the safety enhancement zones.
In the past, the enhancement zone began Mar. 17 at 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on Mar. 18. As of Feb. 6, the enhancement zones will now cover the first three weekends in March. Each zone will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday and end at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning.
Alongside with Municipal Code Violations, the enhancement zone charges also include fines in violation of the Unruly Gathering Ordinance. A first offense for those responsible for the gathering will be raised to $1,000 compared to $700. Individuals at the gathering will be charged $700 compared to $350.
“We know these kinds of ordinances help to keep people safe even though they may appear like it’s simply the city racing after citations,” Christine Wallace, the Public Affairs Manager for SLOPD, said.
With between 3,000 to 4,000 students on the street last St. Fratty’s, emergency vehicles were unable to get through to someone who had gotten hurt, Wallace said.
The other feedback SLOPD has gotten is related to property damage, including vandalism and fences being broken, according to Wallace.
Before enacting these new changes, SLOPD met with its stakeholders including the Student Community Liaison Committee, Cal Poly Associated Students Incorporated External Affairs, United Sorority and Fraternity Life, Panhellenic Council, Inter Fraternal Council, Downtown SLO Bar owners and Residents for Quality Neighborhoods.
These stakeholder meetings sparked some questions and concerns from the Cal Poly community, according to Wallace.
Some of these included students from the InterFraternal Councils asking if adding an additional weekend was the best idea. Additionally, the Panhellenic Council was concerned that it would restrict sororities from recruitment and the ability to hold events.
“With the introduction of the zone and mixed with the public education component as well as enforcement, it helps deter and encourage folks to think about their behaviors before they engage in them,” Wallace said.
To further promote public education, SLOPD will begin sending out informational postcards to homes on the North side of town in March, according to Wallace.
Alongside the additional dates in March, Safety Enhancement Zone dates have been added to the month of October for Halloween. These will include the weekend before Halloween beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, the 25, ending on Monday at 7 a.m. It will then start back up on Halloween at 12:01 a.m. and go to Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 a.m.
“We’re hoping for the students that are hosting those events figure out how to have chill, mellow events that don’t spill onto the street. So that it doesn’t become a public safety hazard and so people aren’t going to put their life in danger,” Wallace said.