Party Registry System

The Party Registry System is a partnership with the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate and the City of Eau Claire Police Department.

Students can register their parties and social gatherings through the Party Registry System form on Blugold Connect +. Registering your party grants you the opportunity to receive a phone call warning from the police in the event that noise complaints are received in the area for your party. After receiving a call, the tenants of the registered party will have a 20-minute window to get all party guests to quiet down and vacate the premises.

*All parties MUST be registered 48 hours before they start.

Make sure you reference the Safer Partying Tips and Party Registry System FAQ below for more information on ways to be a responsible party host and neighbor.

Tips for Safer Partying 

Find important tips for hosting a responsible party below. Note that these tips are not exhaustive. Always remember that when hosting a gathering you are assuming responsibility for any issues that may take place. Please refer back to the Party Registry form on Blugold Connect + for program rules.   

Please also remember to share this information with anyone involved in hosting the party! 

• Register your party! Registering your party can help you avoid a possible noise citation of $400+. Only tenants of the residence may register a party, so do NOT register other people’s properties for the Party Registry System.
• Discuss party expectations with your roommates before you host a gathering. Things to consider include date, timeframe, house rules, number of people, what you will provide guests (consider food), who will be the sober host, who will chat with the neighbors, etc.  
• Notify your neighbors in advance and provide them with the phone number of the host.   
• Designate a host to control music volume, access to the party, watch for outside disturbances, and address any interactions with the neighbors or police. Behaviors of people coming and going to the party are often most disruptive to neighbors, not the party itself. Make sure the host is monitoring the foot traffic to and from the party and checking the backyard.  
• Think before you post! Posting your get-together using social media can lead to out-of-control parties, unwanted guests, and unwanted behaviors. Remember, as a party host you are responsible for what happens at and as a result of your party, including the actions of others.  
• Understand the difference between unreasonable noise and nuisance gathering. The Party Registry System only provides a potential warning for unreasonable noise. The Prohibition of Noise Ordinance is in effect 24 hours a day, as shown here in the list of ordinances for the City of Eau Claire. Ordinances addressed with registering your party including 9.56.070 and 9.56.075 are covered by the Party Registry System for the first-time offense, but nuisance gatherings are NOT covered! Nuisance gatherings cover other issues that occur on your property and/or extend past the property line: foot traffic to and from your gathering, disrupting neighbors, public urination, leaving trash in yards, trampling bushes, jumping fences, etc., or unlawful consumption or possession of alcohol and/or marijuana. When tenants (hosts) are held responsible, their liability is the forfeiture (fine) and a potential nuisance property designation (if there have been multiple violations over time). Remember that YOU are responsible for your guests’ actions! 
• Do not engage in disorderly behavior: State law prohibits anyone from engaging in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance (Wisconsin State Statute 947.01). Penalties for this offense could include a civil fine or a Criminal Misdemeanor charge, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine.
• Be mindful of noise to and from your party: Neighbors typically report that it is the behaviors of people “coming and going” to the party they find most disruptive, not the party itself. Encourage your guests to be quiet and respectful before they come and when they leave as well as when in the front or backyard.
• Do not provide alcohol to minors. It is illegal. If you’re in doubt of someone’s age, protect yourself and don’t serve. If you provide alcohol to minors it is civil forfeiture.

Providing Alcohol to Minors Fines and Reminders

• Furnishing to Underage Person 125.07(1)a(1) $452.50
• Adult Permitting UA Possession 125.07(1)a(3) $295.00
• Adult Contribute to UA Possession 125.07(1)a(4) $295.00

It is illegal to: 

• Consume alcohol in public outdoor spaces (must be on private property or areas authorized to have alcohol)
• Sell or transfer alcohol to persons under the age of 21. 
• Drive under the influence. 

Safer Partying Tips 2

• Keep the size reasonable so your party stays in line with the capacity of your residence and does not disturb your neighbors.  
• Be proactive by asking for help. If you’re uncomfortable with the size of your party, people will not leave when asked, or if people are acting in a threatening manner, please do not hesitate to call Eau Claire Police Services at (715) 839-4972 and ask for assistance in breaking up your party before things get out of control.
• Stay informed on Backyard Fire Pit Ordinances. Please refer to Eau Claire city ordinances here for more information on hosting backyard fire pits.
• Be cooperative towards neighbors, police, and others who come to discuss issues. Don’t make the situation or citation worse. When the police arrive, all guests need to leave.  
• Get a safe ride. When clearing out your party, help your guests find a safe ride home. Have them use the UWEC Safe Ride and Safe Walk program (which can be found here), or encourage them to use Uber or Lyft.
• Clean up all trash resulting from your party and follow up with your neighbors the next day. Your neighbors may be more tolerant of your next party if they see that you care about how your party may have impacted the neighborhood. 

9.36.015. Community Nuisance Information

Purpose. The City Council finds that excessive consumption of alcohol commonly produces a secondary effect of community nuisance. This section is created to limit and reduce this secondary effect.

1. Community nuisance. It is unlawful for any owner or occupant to:
2. cause or permit to remain upon her or his yard, front drive, porch or other area visible to the public from the right-of-way an accumulation of cans, bottles, cups or similar containers or other refuse not properly disposed of in refuse or recycling containers; or
3. cause or permit to remain for greater than 24 hours upon the exterior of her or his residence, which shall include but not be limited to front lawns, drives, fire escapes and rooftops, any interior chairs or tables, game tables, or other items not for outdoor use. (Ord. 7297 §2, 2018).

• Your actions have an impact; make it a positive one. Be a good neighbor both on and off campus. If you are a UWEC student, you may be held accountable for your behaviors off or on campus through the Student Judicial Code. 

Party Registry System FAQ