Community Leaders Urge Alternatives and Solutions Not a Tough Law for Deltopia 2026
John Palminteri
ISLA VISTA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara County plan to have a 72-hour ban on amplified music during Deltopia 2026 has been met with strong resistance by the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD.)
Community leaders have been urging alternatives and solutions rather than a tougher law on top of the existing noise rules.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Schmidt has been presenting the case for the changes for weeks, including at a town hall meeting that drew a full house in the Isla Vista Theatre.
Monday night the IVCSD had meeting to take a position in a letter to the County Board of Supervisors, prior to the January 13 agenda item.
Public comments were also taken. They included student residents, long term residents and families, and the County Sheriff’s Department.
The presentation included pictures of thousands of people cramming Del Playa Drive during the unpermitted event on the first weekend after Spring Break.
Over the past ten years there have been multiple issues including deaths, injuries, a balcony collapse and parking issues on and off the I.V. streets. There was also a high profile conflict or moving riot when law enforcement attempted to clear the streets at night with extra deputies, outside police and tear gas.
Costs to deal with Deltopia for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Office exceeded $430,000 earlier this year.
There’s also regional costs to the UC Police, the City of Goleta, the City of Santa Barbara at the airport and area shopping malls where crowds have gathered.
The IVCSD wants to work on alternatives that include an on campus concert to draw the crowds off of Del Playa and calm the area down, and also other activities in the parks as they demonstrated earlier this year. It included music, free food and water, well ness areas and rest locations that were not near the crowds.
The county is facing the costs and unpredictable nature of Deltopia at a time when it is facing financial struggles, layoffs and hiring freezes due to funding shortfalls.
(More details, photos and video will be added later today.)