‘Warm Up’ Weekend Offers Safe, Local Alternative to Deltopia

This story first appeared in UCSB’s The Current.

In continued partnership with Santa Barbara County, the City of Goleta and the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD), UC Santa Barbara has put in place a host of regulations and policies for the first full weekend of April. The restrictions are meant to ensure the safety of students of the broader community during the annual unsanctioned event formerly known as Deltopia.

As in years past, a number of restrictions will be in effect on campus, in Isla Vista and in the neighboring community over the “Warm Up” weekend, and no overnight visitors will be allowed in residence halls or any university-owned housing.

Aiming to “Keep it Local, Keep it Safe,” a robust lineup of programming is planned both on campus and in Isla Vista to draw students off the streets and into sanctioned events.

Friday, April 7, the Department of Recreation and Life of the Party will host its annual students-only event “Warm Up at the Rec(link is external),” from 8 p.m. until midnight at the Rec Cen. The Associated Students Program Board is putting on a concert at the UCSB Events Center Saturday, April 8, that also is open only to current UCSB students. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

IVCSD is hosting the Isla Vista Spring Festival from 1–7 p.m. Saturday, April 8 at Little Acorn Park, featuring live music, free food and hydration station. Restrooms will be accessible across Isla Vista, and resources including Life of the Party and Gauchos for Recovery will be available during the event. In the leadup to the weekend, the district is conducting community outreach(link is external) via social media and door-to-door canvassing to spread awareness of resources including Community Service Officer (CSO) safety escorts, local special ordinances and the spring festival.

Campus officials have worked diligently to develop a parking plan to help ensure the safety of the campus community of students, faculty, staff and others who are authorized to use campus facilities during the “Warm Up” weekend.  Additional measures will be in place to discourage the unauthorized use of campus parking facilities to gain access to Isla Vista during the weekend.

The campus will be closed to overnight visitor parking Friday, April 7, through Sunday, April 9. Only vehicles registered with valid Reserved, A, B, C, H, or an Annual Night & Weekend ePermit will be allowed to park on campus from 9 a.m. Friday to 7:30 a.m. Monday; all others will be cited and towed.

Short-term ePermits, including daily, 15-day night & weekend, and visitor permits issued from the TPS Permit Portal, permit dispensers and ParkMobile will all expire at midnight Friday and Saturday, April 7 and 8. These permits are not valid for overnight parking. Unauthorized vehicles parked overnight on campus are subject to a $300 citation and impound at the owner’s expense.

Parking restrictions will cease between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to allow for normal business operations on campus.

A number of campus parking locations are subject to closure and access will be limited to support enhanced safety and security measures. Expanded parking lot patrols will include the ticketing and towing of all vehicles lacking approved permits. Campus checkpoints will be set up beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, April 7, and will continue as needed throughout the weekend.

Traffic in and around campus may also be impacted. At the discretion of law enforcement, access to El Colegio Road and/or Isla Vista may be closed for safety reasons and proof of residency may be required to enter. Certain roads in Isla Vista may be closed to vehicular traffic.

Additional parking restrictions will be in place for certain blocks in Isla Vista and in Goleta neighborhoods around UC Santa Barbara, and in parking lots in retail areas of Goleta, such as Camino Real Marketplace, Girsh Park, University Village Plaza, Hollister Village, the Target center, Fairview Center and Calle Real Center. Cars parked in violation will be towed.

In cooperation with Santa Barbara County and the City of Goleta, UC Santa Barbara also will close campus beaches from 2 p.m. Friday, April 7 until 6 p.m. Sunday, April 9.

The county festival ordinance will be in effect Friday, April 7, through Sunday, April 9. Between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., amplified music of any kind is prohibited at Isla Vista residences. Live or recorded music loud enough to be heard outside a residence can result in a fine of $500.