Large crowds and crazy costumes have become synonymous with rival UNC’s Franklin Street during Halloween, but Chapel Hill has decided to change its policies to center the focus of the Halloween activities on UNC students.
The UNC Department of Public Safety Parking and Transit Information Web site details the restrictions and policies, new and old, for Halloween this year.
According to the Web site, the mission of UNC and the Town of Chapel Hill is to create a more “Homegrown Halloween.” The reasons for doing so center around crowd control and mitigating many of the negative attributes that often come with large gatherings.
In years past, the crowds had a negative impact on the experience. Amy Lamb, a sophomore in animal science, went to UNC last year and does not plan to go back this year because of the crowds.
“It’s really crowded,” Lamb said. “There’s nowhere to go inside; you just stand outside. They are really intense about crowd control.”
Joshua Davis, a junior in mechanical engineering, went to both a fraternity party and Franklin Street a few years ago.
“It was insane. That’s the only reason I wouldn’t go back,” Davis said. “The crowds were crazy. The crowds basically started from where we parked. We walked pretty far.”
Kaila Slattery, a senior in business administration, said she went to Franklin Street the last three years but is going to Hillsborough Street this year because it is easier.
“They made it so difficult last year we barely got to do anything,” Slattery said. “This year, not only are they checking I.D.’s to make sure you’re a resident, they’re not running the buses and you can’t really park down there.”
Randy Young, the marketing director of UNC’s Department of Public Safety, said part of the “Homegrown Halloween” idea this year is to cut back on crowds and limit access to downtown.
“The mayor of Chapel Hill has said that if you can’t walk to Franklin, then you don’t need to be here,” Young said. “Campus lots will be reserved for permit holders. Charter buses will be turned away from the downtown area. Chapel Hill Transit will not be running any shuttle services. The bars will stop selling alcohol at 1 a.m. The streets, or at least Franklin Street, will open up at midnight. It will be very slow-going.”
Aside from limited parking, which according to the Web site will not be made available until after 5 p.m. and will be paired with a $10 fee for each space, the identification policy will be stricter this year.
“I heard this year that you either need a UNC I.D. or a ticket from another student,” Lamb said.
Taylor Howell, a freshman in management, said she is going to Franklin Street this year and is staying with a friend in Granville Towers.
“You have to sign in all your guests and you can only have two guests for the Granville dorm,” Howell said. “I don’t know about the other dorms.”
Luke Davis, a junior in professional golf management, plans to go to ECU instead of UNC.
“I went to UNC last year and it was pretty strict,” Davis said. “It wasn’t a good experience.”
As with every other year, police will be patrolling the city and downtown and they will be enforcing policies pertaining to costumes.
According to the Web site, items, even as part of a costume, which can be used as weapons or look like weapons will be confiscated.
Lamb said the police presence in the downtown area was a little ridiculous last year and the police seemed to monitor everyone suspiciously.
“The cops … there were so many,” Lamb said. “I think every cop in the entire county was there.”
Young said although it is primarily Chapel Hill’s jurisdiction, UNC campus police will be out assisting, along with EMS and fire squads, to make the festivities safer.
“No alcohol, no open containers, nothing that could be imitated as a weapon,”Young said. “No glass bottles, no coolers, no animals.”
