Newport Beach enforces new anti-party ordinance

NEWPORT BEACH — As many as 15 homes were tagged were made in connection with a new anti-party ordinance in Newport Beach over the holiday weekend, police said Monday. [Correction: An earlier version incorrectly said the total number of arrests made were connected to the anti-party ordinance.]

The city of Newport Beach passed an ordinance last month that would tag “loud and unruly party houses� in the town — with hefty fines if citations are given on holiday weekends.

The ordinance targets gatherings of eight or more people in a home that are deemed “loud and unruly� by police.

The red tags would remain on offending houses for six months.

They would also come with fines for both party attendees and home owners, depending on whether it is first-time or a repeat violation.

For parties between 32nd and 54th streets, fines over the holiday weekend are even higher. A first-offense home will be fined $1,500 and any subsequent offense will be fined an additional $3,000.

KTLA spoke to Newport Beach residents about the law.

Business owner Jim Hooper said he supports the ordinance.

“As a family man, I want to make sure that my children have a safe place to go outside and not be influenced by negative activity,� Hooper said.

He added, “As a business owner, I want to see that things don’t get too crazy ... with vandalism and all the things that tend to go with partying.�

Other residents were less positive, saying they thought the law was simply a way for the city to make a lot of cash.

The plan is based on a similar ordinance already in effect in Tucson.

Newport Beach is a charter city, so it’s allowed to set the fines at any level it wants.

Most cities in California can’t impose fines above $1,000 for municipal code violations.