Topline:
The Newport Beach City Council this week unanimously approved a measure aimed at cracking down on rowdy Spring Breakers.
The backstory: Last year, Newport Beach saw about 500 arrests during the Spring Break months of March and April. According to the city, that’s peak time for noise disturbances, overcrowding and large unruly gatherings.
The response: City Council members voted 7-0 Tuesday to designate popular areas like the Balboa Peninsula, West Newport and Corona Del Mar as "Safety Enhancement Zones" during certain periods. That means during parts of March and April, fines for infractions like alcohol on the beach, illegal fireworks and excessive noise would be tripled. According to the city's municipal code, the fine for drinking on the beach is up to $100 for the first offense. Under the proposal for Spring Break, that would go up to $300.
