HomeMy WebLinkAboutA033 - Resolution authorizing enhanced penalties for nuisance party violations beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 22 and ending at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 24, 2025ITEM #:38
DATE:04-08-25
DEPT:POLICE
SUBJECT:ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR NUISANCE PARTY VIOLATIONS AUGUST
22-24, 2025
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
On July 29, 2022, the City Council approved an ordinance to allow for enhanced penalties for
nuisance parties when authorized by City Council. The resolution that authorizes the enhanced
penalties must designate specific dates and times subject to the enhanced penalties.
This request is to approve a resolution authorizing the use of enhanced penalties for nuisance
parties beginning at 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 22, 2025, and ending at 4:00 a.m. Sunday, August
24, 2025. These dates correspond with the weekend before Iowa State University classes begin.
In the past several years, the Saturday before classes begin has been associated with an increase in
alcohol consumption, illegal parking, nuisance parties, and other high-risk activities.
This phenomenon began many years ago when alcohol was prohibited in fraternities and sororities
during the week leading up to the start of classes. The prohibition ended at 8:00 A.M. on the Saturday
before classes began. At 8:01 A.M. (801-day) some students chose to begin drinking.
In the late 2010s, these behaviors on the Saturday before classes began to grow beyond a small segment
of the ISU population. The date has increasingly become a destination for people from outside Ames
and is no longer limited to ISU students. Complaints from residents in the area have also grown. There
is an additional concern this year: the first Iowa State Football game is being held in Dublin,
Ireland on this day. Staff anticipates the coincidence of the game and the Saturday before classes
could result in increased incidences of nuisance parties, since most students will not be traveling
to Ireland for the game. Additionally, many ISU officials will be out of town attending the game,
decreasing the ISU presence in the community on this weekend.
In 2021, City leadership, ISU leadership, and both the Ames and ISU Police Departments began to
discuss ways to refocus the event in a way to reduce harm, reduce noise complaints, reduce parking
complaints, etc. The unofficial event of 801-day is being transitioned to an official ISU event, Cyclone
Welcome Weekend. The University has created several activities to take the focus off alcohol use and
overuse and steer activities towards community events and safer alternatives.
An additional strategy resulting from these discussions was a focus on nuisance party enforcement. The
Police Department has seen an increase in party sizes on this day, estimating some parties of 400-500
people at private residences. Many of these parties include underage drinking, fights, noise above what
is allowed by the noise ordinance, public intoxication, spilling onto neighboring property, public
urination, and other inappropriate activities. These behaviors are grounds for citation under the City’s
nuisance party ordinance, which may be cited as either a municipal infraction or a simple misdemeanor.
Currently, the fine for a first violation of the ordinance is $100, and $200 for second and subsequent
violations. It is believed this fine structure is an insufficient deterrent to nuisance parties on the Saturday
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before classes. The new ordinance, passed on July 29, 2022, allows for enhanced penalties for
nuisance party violations of $650 for a first offense and $855 for each repeat offense on dates and
times approved by resolution by City Council.
The enhanced fine structure for nuisance party violations has been utilized for Cyclone Welcome
Weekend in previous years and staff noticed some reduction in large parties. Three citations were
written in 2022, five in 2023 and seven in 2024 for the enhanced penalty Nuisance Party Violation.
Cyclone Welcome Weekend is several months away which provides ample time to notify the
community of the enhanced penalties for nuisance party violations. Staff will take the following steps to
notify the public about the new ordinance:
The Police Department and ISU staff will inform residents while going door-to-door during the
Good Neighbor Campaign in early August to extent staffing levels allow.
An email outlining the changes to the ordinance will be sent to property managers and owners,
with a request to forward the message to tenants. A similar email will be sent to neighborhood
associations.
Both the City and University will publicize the changes in press releases and social media
accounts.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Authorize the enhanced penalties for nuisance party violations ($650 for a first offense and $855 for
each repeat offense) beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Friday August 22 and ending at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday,
August 24, 2025.
2. Authorize the enhanced penalties for nuisance party violations as described in Alternative 1, but
modify the times and/or dates.
3. Do not authorize enhanced penalties for nuisance party violations.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The increase of risky behaviors surrounding large parties during what has become known as 801-
day is troubling. These large parties are disruptive to neighborhoods and have been increasing
for several years. The City and University have worked very hard over the past few years to
create an event to welcome students to Ames (Cyclone Welcome Weekend) and to turn the
unofficial event into a planned event with better alternatives to consumption of alcohol and risky
behaviors.
Increasing the fines for nuisance parties at designated times provides another tool for City staff in
deterring the disruptive behaviors that have become associated with this weekend. In addition,
this strategy was utilized for Cyclone Welcome Weekend the last two years and staff noticed some
reduction in large parties. Three citations were written in 2022, five in 2023 and seven in 2024 for
the enhanced penalty Nuisance Party Violation. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City
Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as noted above.
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