Santa Cruz Police Set up 'Safety Enhancement Zone' for Halloween

With young trick-or-treaters hitting the sidewalks, heavier-than-usual traffic filling streets, and adult revelers heading to bars and restaurants to imbibe in Halloween cheer, the streets of downtown Santa Cruz are getting busy this week. Welcome to Halloween 2013. 

Police in Santa Cruz are also making an appearance by being out in force to help ensure the city and its streets stay safe. 

As part of that effort, the Santa Cruz Police Department has developed a Halloween Safety Enhancement Zone that will triple fines for various municipal code violations in and around the downtown area during Halloween week. Selected streets also will be closed during certain hours over the next few days. 

Here is a listing of the increased Safety Enhancement Zone fines for various infractions during the Halloween period. 

From 12:00 a.m. Oct. 29 to 3:00 a.m. Nov. 1, certain violations of the Santa Cruz Municipal Code (SCMC) will be subject to triple fines. With court costs, you could end up paying:

• Open Container/Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages in Public Places = $480
• Urinating or defecating in public = $576

• Littering = $288
• Graffiti = $576
• Trespassing = $576
• Defacing sidewalks = $576
• Discharge of firearms = $1,440
• Noise control = $576
• Abuse or mutilation of trees, plants, lawns, $1,056
• Trespassing on public transit facilities = $480
• Traffic regulation disobedience = $192–$960
• Traffic control device disobedience = $288
• Improper vehicle parking, standing, and stopping = $576 

No Parking and Tow Away from 10 a.m. Oct. 31 to 10 a.m. Nov. 1

• Pacific Avenue between Laurel and Water streets
• Cathcart Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• All of Cooper Street 
• Soquel Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Front Street

No Parking and Tow Away from 5 p.m. Oct. 31 to 3 a.m. Nov. 1.

• Front Street between Laurel and Water Streets
• Walnut Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• Church Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• Locust Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• River Street between Front and River streets

Street Closure from 10 a.m. Oct. 31 to 10 a.m. Nov. 1

• Pacific Avenue between Laurel and Water streets
• Elm Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• All of Cathcart Street
• Lincoln Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• All of Cooper Street

Street Closure from 5 p.m. Oct. 31 to 3 a.m. Nov. 1

• Front Street between Laurel Street and Soquel Avenue
• Front Street between Water and River streets
• Maple Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• The 100 Block of Soquel Avenue
• Walnut Avenue between Pacific Avnue and Cedar Street
• Church Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street
• Locust Street between Pacific Ave and Cedar Street