Lake Elsinore, CA Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)

Chapter 9.42 was adopted in 1996 and amended in 2006 to offset the cost of repeated police calls to large private parties. Section 9.42.010 defines a "large party, gathering or event" as 10 or more people assembled for a social occasion, and defines "host" as the property owner, the person in charge of the premises, or the organizer; if the host is a minor, the minor's parents or guardians are jointly and severally liable. When officers first respond to a large party and find people causing an inordinate amount of noise or commotion or behaving in a way that threatens public peace, health or safety, § 9.42.020 requires a written first response notice warning the host that any further response to the same address within 10 days will be billed as a special security assignment.

Section 9.42.030 makes every person previously warned jointly and severally liable for the police services charge if officers return within that 10-day window. Section 9.42.010 sets the flat charge at $500 for the first special security assignment, $1,000 for the second, and $1,500 for the third and any later assignment, or the City may instead itemize actual costs including officer salaries, equipment and injury treatment. The City Manager's designee bills the responsible person under § 9.42.040, and unpaid bills may go to small claims court or onto the property tax roll.

Section 9.42.050 lets a billed host appeal using the Chapter 1.20 LEMC administrative citation procedure, and § 9.42.060 makes clear the charge supplements, rather than replaces, arrest or criminal citation under other laws.