On December 1, a proposed update to the county’s festival ordinance came to the board of the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD), of which I am one of seven directors. The County Board of Supervisors will nconsider it on January 13. The proposal would ban amplified music from Friday to Sunday of Deltopia weekend to mitigate the harmful impacts of the unsanctioned event.
Ultimately, after hearing from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office and Isla Vista residents, both students and non-students, the IVCSD board voted unanimously to oppose the ordinance as currently written.
At IVCSD, my colleagues have navigated this issue for many years. Last year alone, we invested close to $100,000 to reduce the strain on public resources. Through harm-reduction efforts, safety resources, intentional art, and traffic control, we provided over 6,000 people with a safe place to stay and to seek help if needed.
While I recognize the strain that Deltopia places on county medical resources, this ordinance is not the solution. This vote was difficult, but it taught me a valuable lesson. Problem definition is not a neutral way to create solutions; it has political implications and underlying biases.
The way that Deltopia was narrowly defined as a problem brought about a quick solution, one that would satisfy those who do not live in Isla Vista but experience the impacts of the event. However, this definition fails to recognize the more complex underlying issues occurring within Isla Vista, and it will not respond to the concerns of residents adequately.
This definition and solution overlooked evidence that the problem here is not residents, but out-of-towners. It disregarded data that shows similar ordinances were ineffective in the past. And most importantly, it represents an overarching issue plaguing the politics of unincorporated areas.
Without a centralized government, places like Isla Vista will continue to witness outside stakeholders make decisions for residents without consideration or collaboration. While IVCSD, Associated Students, and community members raised many red flags about the trajectory of this ordinance, the power dynamics did not require Isla Vista Foot Patrol to consider the concerns of community members.
IVCSD’s research showed that when the county approved the same ordinance in 1993 to ban music during Halloween weekend, it did not work. Halloween persisted for 21 years, with the county spending over $15 million to enforce its ordinance while residents continued to participate in the unsanctioned event. Only after a year of tragedy and the implementation of organized events did Halloween become a safe event, which even the Sheriff’s Office and County Fire deemed acceptable in 2025, even with many residents attending parties on Del Playa.
This ordinance was created without community involvement and sent to the Board of Supervisors before our board had voted on whether to support or oppose it, or to propose any amendments. While the lieutenant for I.V. Foot Patrol made an effort to speak with community organizations and gain feedback, it was too little, too late.
As I continue my research on Isla Vista and its unincorporated status, I have recognized a pattern of exclusion. Our community is often ignored in the decision-making process, and county leaders have too many other responsibilities inherent to the county’s role.
A big thanks to everyone who has been a part of this journey so far. Seeing the huge community turnout at the town hall events has demonstrated the power of speaking up and showing out, and we must continue to do so at the January 13 Board of Supervisors meeting at 11 a.m.
IVCSD is enthusiastic about facilitating a safe, sanctioned event that can promote community connection for our residents. We need the county as a proactive partner to do so; that is why IVCSD has proposed amendments to the proposed ordinance to make it clear that a sanctioned festival would be exempt from the new restrictions. I am looking forward to what comes next as we navigate this issue and work with our community partners to seek effective solutions.
