Council to Consider Crackdown on 'Unruly' Parties

The City Council on Tuesday will consider an ordinance that would create steep fines—up to $8,000—for people and property owners involved in "loud and unruly" gatherings.

Under the proposed ordinance, any gathering of eight or more people who are making too much noise, creating traffic, urinating in public or otherwise behaving badly can be declared unruly by police. Fines would range from $500 to $8,000 (the highest fines would apply to the West Newport Safety Enhancement Zone).

Initially, according to the proposed ordinance, a notice would be posted at the location of such a gathering. Any subsequent violation within 180 days would trigger fines, with the fines increasing for each violation.

Also at the study session—to be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday at —the council will discuss:

• An Environmental Quality Affairs Committee recommendation that smoking be banned in city parks and other open space areas, such as the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve.
• Whether the city should look into banning the use of plastic bags by retailers.
• Whether the city should put parking meters in Corona del Mar along Pacific Coast Highway between Heliotrope and Avocado avenues.