JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new law is giving more power to police to respond to and shut down “pop-up parties.”
Specifically referencing last summer’s events in Daytona Beach, the law targets gatherings organized via social media that attract large crowds. However, here in Jacksonville, we see similar events pertaining to car meet-ups.
“I don’t feel safe when this kind of stuff happens,” said one Riverside resident.
The Riverside resident lives near Roosevelt Boulevard and McDuff Avenue. She said her location puts her right behind where some like to street race, which makes for some restless nights.
“I was woken by motorcycles racing up the ramp,” she said.
However this new “pop-up party” enforcement law may soon help provide her some relief, and fewer sleepless nights, once again.
It allows local law enforcement to designate an area as a special event zone and then double traffic fines and impound vehicles of individuals in that area.
It defines the zone as an “as an unpermitted activity or event organized or promoted via a social media platform which is attended by 50 or more persons and substantially increases or disrupts the normal flow of traffic on a roadway, street, or highway.”
Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson said it may cross the line when it comes to the First Amendment right of assembly. However, the law states police must provide notice for a special event zone and post specified warning signs at least 24 hours prior.
“This is basically the trespass law. It’s all this is; that aspect of notice which is required under Florida law to pursue a trespass,” Carson said.
Police can also enforce occupancy limits in the zone and recover the costs of enforcement from the event organizer.
Action News Jax has been continuously reporting on street racing and other car meet-ups occurring in jacksonville.
Four men were arrested together in April for racing along JTB Boulevard according to reports.
At the beginning of may, jso announced it arrested 11 people, impounded 10 vehicles, and wrote over 200 traffic citations after a string of street racing incidents.
The Riverside resident said the racing needs to come to an end, and this law may be the solution.
“It’s about time, and Jacksonville can really use it,” she said.
The law also grants more authority to police to impose more stringent regulations on car noise.
You can read more about it here.
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