The City of San Luis Obispo is making it clear that large St. Patrick’s Day street parties are no longer welcome in the community.

To protect public safety, the City will once again take a zero-tolerance approach during the Safety Enhancement Zones in March, which are during key St. Patrick’s Day celebration periods, increasing enforcement and doubling fines for violations. Community members can expect a similar law enforcement presence in neighborhoods and downtown as last year.

“Our goal is simple: keep our community safe and make it clear that disruptive street parties are not part of San Luis Obispo’s St. Patrick’s Day tradition,” said San Luis Obispo Police Chief Rick Scott. “If you choose to break the law, you should expect immediate enforcement, significant fines and arrests for criminal behavior.”

The City Council can designate certain areas as Safety Enhancement Zones when unique circumstances create a significant threat to public health and safety. During these periods, fines for violations of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code (including noise violations, unruly gatherings, public urination and open container offenses) are doubled.

The entire city will be designated a Safety Enhancement Zone during the following times:

• Friday, March 6 at midnight - Monday, March 9 at 7 a.m.
• Friday, March 13 at midnight - Monday, March 16 at 7 a.m.
• Tuesday, March 17 at midnight - Wednesday, March 18 at 7 a.m.

During these times, fines will be doubled, including:

• Noise violations, public urination, open container: starting at $700
• Unruly gathering: starting at $1,000
• Warnings will not be issued for noise violations or unruly gatherings

 Over the past several years, increasingly dangerous and destructive street partying has occurred in San Luis Obispo neighborhoods near Cal Poly, which prompted a zero-tolerance approach and a change to City laws which resulted in additional days with increased enforcement authority. The previous St. Patrick’s Day safety enhancement zone was one day only: March 17. 

Partnership with Cal Poly
The City and Cal Poly are working together to reduce large street gatherings and discourage out-of-town visitors during the weekend leading up to the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. The City and Cal Poly reminds students and visitors that St. Patrick’s Day celebrations should be safe, respectful and lawful.

Cal Poly is also again hosting an on-campus event this year to draw crowds away from neighborhoods and give students an alternative to unruly gatherings and street parties. The sold-out Morning on the Green concert will start on Saturday, March 14 at 4:45 a.m. at the Sports Complex Lower Fields.

Cal Poly is also hosted a Student Town Hall on campus yesterday to provide students with more details about Cal Poly’s enforcement and guidelines for students on St. Patrick’s Day.

For more information about Safety Enhancement Zones and St. Patrick’s Day enforcement, visit respectslo.org or deanofstudents.calpoly.edu/dont-test-your-luck.