Santa Barbara County is expanding its efforts to address a series of massive, unsanctioned, and unsponsored spring break parties that attract thousands of partygoers to Isla Vista annually.
What's been dubbed Deltopia has created major problems for public safety agencies. The issues range from partygoers needing medical aid for alcohol intoxication and drug overdoses to people falling off the community's cliffs because of impairment.
"For 16 years, the County of Santa Barbara has been grappling with several challenges associated with this unsanctioned event, an event that's been dangerous to our community, disastrous to the environment, and harmful to our neighbors," said Lt. Joe Schmidt with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. He is the Chief of Police for the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, which is responsible for law enforcement duties within the community.
In 2009, an estimated 12,000 people converged on Isla Vista's beaches for an unsanctioned, unsponsored spring break beach party dubbed "Floatopia." Public safety agencies were overwhelmed, with numerous calls for alcohol and drug overdoses. A massive amount of trash was left behind on the beach and in the ocean, creating an environmental disaster.
The county moved to stop a recurrence of the event the next year, and since then, it has closed Isla Vista's beaches for spring break. But, students moved the party onshore, and held a series of unsanctioned, unsponsored street parties they called "Deltopia."
Schmidt said dealing with the spring break party has become difficult. More than 380 law enforcement officers were on hand in 2025, along with dozens of firefighters and over a dozen ambulances.
One of the biggest issues is alcohol poisoning and drug overdoses.
"The volume of patients arriving at Goleta Valley Emergency Department increases by 40 to 50% during Deltopia," said Dr. Steven Yao, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. "Most of these patients arrive during a very short time, about six to eight hours. It's a significant additional burden. This volume of patients definitely exceeds capacity."
Schmidt says past Deltopias have led to deaths and injuries from people falling off of Isla Vista’s cliffs and alcohol and drug overdoses. He added that it’s been expensive for taxpayers. Between 2023 and 2025, the costs for law enforcement, the fire department, and ambulance services totaled nearly $560,000.
The Sheriff's Office lieutenant said public safety agency back a proposal to expand an existing noise ordinance which law enforcement use a tool to limit street parties. It’s similar to an ordinance the county uses to curb the size of Isla Vista’s Halloween parties. Instead of restricting party noise just during night and morning hours, it would be expanded to the entire 72 hours of the weekend.
But the proposal is controversial. Some members of the UCSB student community are upset with the idea, which went to the Santa Barbara County Supervisors on Tuesday for a preliminary vote.
"We're in the process of creating a sanctioned event. Keep it safe, and keep it local, that is our guiding light," said Neil Harder, who is a student and part of UCSB’s student government. "I urge you to vote no and join us at the table. We are ready with solutions, as well as the same goals as you."
"We oppose this ordinance. It would not just be ineffective in making it safer or cheaper, it would be counterproductive," said EJ Raad, another member of UCSB’s student government who spoke against the noise limitation proposal.
"It began as Floatopia, an unsanctioned beach festival. An ordinance ended it," said Raad. "And what was the result? Students created Deltopia. It didn't stop partying, or make it safer, it pushed students and residents to do it in underground fashion."
Some opponents said that, with as many as 50% of the spring break partygoers coming from out of town, a better solution would be to limit access to the community. But, Sheriff’s officials are saying that trying to seal off the community with checkpoints would be logistically impossible.
An important addendum was added to the proposal. It calls for setting the stage for an official, sponsored spring break event on the downtown Isla Vista loop.
It’s something the Isla Vista Community Services District is working on, along with UCSB’s student government. The Sheriff’s Office supports that concept because it would come with security requirements, checks to prevent underage drinking, trash cans and public toilets, and other measures to keep it under control.
Supervisors unanimously gave preliminary approval to the expansion of the noise ordinance, with an addendum for sanctioned events. It will return to the board on January 27 for a final vote.
