The beaches of Isla Vista have closed down for a day or two in spring ever since the massive Floatopia party in 2009 left the shore befouled with garbage, feces, and other human waste. The county announced today that no permits have been pulled for the party expected to recur on Saturday, and I.V.’s beaches will be closed Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3.
As well as ramped up law enforcement and fencing on and near campus, UCSB has informed schools from Santa Maria to Oxnard that the event is strictly a “safe and local” one, reports UCSB’s The Current, detailing the “no guest” policy, closures, restrictions, and checkpoints. To provide alternatives, the latest Star Wars film will screen, and roller skating on Friday night is sponsored by Associated Students; more movies and a concert by Tor Miller and Grouplove take place Saturday.
To help deal with the expected aftermath — the party moved onshore to Del Playa Drive in 2010 in protest of the beach closure — the Adopt-A-Block program has asked volunteers to sign up for Sunday cleanup at its Facebook page. “We rely solely on our volunteers to clean up our beautiful city by the sea,” said Adam Porte, supervisor for Adopt-A-Block, in an email. The crew will meet at 11 a.m. at 961 Embarcadero Del Mar (next to the I.V. Food Co-op), with refreshments and a raffle to sweeten the day. Signups are also taken at cleaniv@ivparks.org or (805) 968-2017, and the work counts as community service hours, Porte added.
As it does for Halloween, the City of Goleta is issuing parking permits for areas close to Isla Vista. The restriction to two parking permits per household applies to the area bounded by Hollister Avenue, Whittier Drive, Cannon Green Drive, and Storke Road. On-street parking will be by permit only from 9 a.m. Saturday, April 2, through 6 a.m. Sunday, April 3. If Deltopia moves to the following weekend, so do the restrictions. More information is available here.
