The beaches in Isla Vista will be closed from 8 a.m. Friday, April 3 intil 8 a.m. Monday April 6 due to the potential for a Deltopia event.

The closure is to prevent a re-occurrence of the destructive and dangerous conditions that resulted from the 2009 Floatopia, Santa Barbara County has announced.

Santa Barbara County Code (Section 26-11) authorizes the Community Services Department to close any county recreation area including beaches.

Following the Floatopia event of 2009, the beaches at Isla Vista were left strewn with trash and debris, including human waste.

“This event had no provisions for the health and well-being of the public, including no facilities for human sanitation or trash collection,” county officials said.

The county of Santa Barbara, therefore acted to close the Isla Vista beaches for similar events since 2010.
 
The Deltopia event planned for April 3-5 is not a sanctioned event. The only permitted event is the Soltopia festival on April 4, hosted by the Isla Vista Community Services District. Soltopia does not include Isla Vista beaches.

The county Community Services Department will declare the Isla Vista beaches closed to public entry to protect public health and safety, and to protect the beach from excessive waste and litter, officials said.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office will enforce the closure.