Ventura, CA Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)

Article 2 of Chapter 10.650, Disturbances Caused by Parties and Other Assemblages of Persons, targets private-property gatherings that repeatedly draw police response. Section 10.650.210's purpose clause explains the city council's concern that "the repeated return of police officers to a location constitutes a drain of emergency person power and resources, often leaving other areas of the city without police protection." Section 10.650.220 defines a "host" broadly to include the property owner or lessee, the person hosting the event, anyone who collects money or other consideration for access, anyone who serves or furnishes alcohol at the event, and the parent or guardian of a minor host.

Under § 10.650.230, when officers respond to a disturbance complaint and find a threat to public peace, health, safety, or general welfare, they may issue the available host a written notice warning that a second police response to the same premises within 12 hours, or a third or later response within a six-month period involving the same host, will be billed as a "special police service." The host must sign the notice acknowledging receipt; § 10.650.240 allows officers to instead post the notice conspicuously if no host is available or the host refuses to sign.

Section 10.650.250 defines the cost of that special service to potentially include damages to city property and injuries to city personnel, and § 10.650.260 makes the resulting fees, set by council resolution, a debt owed by the property owner, the person in charge of the premises, or the person responsible for the gathering (or their parent or guardian if a minor), collectible by civil action if unpaid.