The Region : Drinking Ban at Isla Vista Considered

Severe restrictions on drinking in the campus community of Isla Vista will be recommended to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Monday by Sheriff John Carpenter, who says the area accounts for 40% of the county’s alcohol-related arrests. Public hearings on the proposed measure will be held in January. The measure would ban drinking an alcoholic beverage or possessing an open alcoholic beverage container on any Isla Vista street, parking lot, school property or other place open to the public. It would not apply to establishments with liquor licenses. The maximum fine would be $50 for a first offense, $100 for the second and $250 for the third. Isla Vista--with mostly UC Santa Barbara students voting--turned down an advisory on the proposal at the Nov. 4 election.