‘Pure chaos’: Baltimore County moves to crack down on commercial house parties

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — Baltimore County leaders are proposing legislation to prohibit commercial house parties in residential neighborhoods after residents say large, for-profit pool parties repeatedly brought hundreds of people, noise, trash and other disruptions into their communities this summer.

Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier announced the legislation Tuesday, saying the proposal is aimed at preventing residential properties from being turned into commercial party venues.

The legislation has not yet been passed. It will be introduced to the Baltimore County Council at Klausmeier’s request and would take effect immediately if enacted.

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“We want people to enjoy their homes and have parties with their family and friends,” Klausmeier said. “What we’re stopping are commercial parties where homes are being advertised as venues, tickets are sold, and large crowds cause disruptions in communities. We are protecting the peace and enjoyment of our neighborhoods.”

The proposal follows a summer of complaints from residents in Baltimore County neighborhoods who say large house and pool parties have disrupted their communities.

In Catonsville, Danielle Singley said her neighborhood began dealing with commercial pool parties around Mother’s Day weekend and continued through about July 17, made up of both adults and kids who attended the gatherings.

Singley said a neighbor on Collinsway was promoting a pool party for profit and attracting more than 150 people at times. She said partygoers would spill into the streets, clog roadways, trespass on private property, jump on cars, use the bathroom on people’s property and leave behind trash.

“The parties were still happening. We were having to deal with this 3 to 4 times a week at times,” Singley said.

Singley said neighbors contacted police, code enforcement, the health department and other government agencies as they tried to get the gatherings under control.

“You know, you’re calling code enforcement, you’re calling the police. You’re calling the health department, you’re coming out. The neighbors were all calling all of these different government agencies, and it just seemed to continue to happen,” Singley said.

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She said her normally quiet, family-oriented neighborhood was suddenly dealing with the gatherings three to four times a week and, in some cases, multiple parties in one day. Singley said she and other residents attempted to speak directly with the homeowner and a person who claimed to be a representative of the property.

“So this was a whole operation. It was beyond just a pool party or a family oriented pool party. This was this was definitely a commercial venue,” Singley said.

Singley said the homeowner and representative said people would be bussed in from other locations to help cause less traffic.

Gerard More, another resident who lives near the property, said he has lived in the neighborhood for about 20 years and had never experienced anything like it before.

More estimated the parties drew anywhere from 50 to 150 people. He said they initially were not frequent but eventually began happening two, three or four times a week during the summer.

More said the parties would start in the afternoon and sometimes continue into the evening. Even after they ended, he said, neighbors would deal with crowds leaving the area.

Some of those problems reached his own property.

“Yes. We’ve had folk throw up, being sick from the parties, throw up, on my property. There was someone once who tried to urinate in the bush right behind my house, and and a neighbor saw him and said, hey, you know, we won’t have that. So those kinds of things. And trash,” More said.

Baltimore County officials said residents in one neighborhood reported hundreds of people attending pool parties at a residential property multiple times each week over the summer. A flyer for one party advertised paid admission for a gathering with capacity for more than 100 people, according to the county. Officials said the gatherings also required significant public safety resources.

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Under the proposed legislation, a commercial house party would be defined as a gathering on residential property that is advertised or promoted to the general public and charges a fee for entry, food, drinks or entertainment.

The prohibition would apply to commercial parties held at pools, yards or other areas of residential properties and would make it illegal for a person to promote, organize or host such a gathering. Baltimore County police would enforce the prohibition.

The bill would establish misdemeanor penalties of up to $2,500 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for a second or subsequent violation within 24 months. A citation could be issued without a prior notice of violation.

Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said the legislation would give officers an additional enforcement tool.

“Commercial house parties held on private property jeopardize the safety of our residents, those in attendance, and the officers called to respond to them,” McCullough said. “This legislation provides the police department with additional enforcement that more effectively addresses these parties and, equally important, establishes clear consequences for those who organize the events.”

County officials stressed that the legislation is not intended to stop traditional house parties. Private gatherings that are not open to the general public and do not charge for entry, food, beverages or entertainment would be excluded.

The proposal would also exempt qualifying nonprofit, religious and political fundraisers, permitted events and activities otherwise authorized under Baltimore County zoning regulations.

More said he welcomes the proposal but questioned whether existing regulations could already be used to address some of the problems.

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“I think that’s wonderful,” More said.

Singley also described the legislation as a “good first step,” but said she believes gaps remain because her larger concern is the size and behavior of the crowds.

When asked whether she believes the legislation will prevent similar gatherings, Singley said organizers could potentially find ways around it.

“I think people are slick enough to figure out a way to to not have people know that they’re paying for parties. So, you know, I think there’s still going to be some work to do,” Singley said.

Singley described what residents experienced this summer as unlike anything she had seen before.

“It was. It was so insane. Like, I have footage of helicopters flying. I mean, trash flying in the air. Dirt bikes up and down the street. Just kids fighting here, there. You know, folks walking with these big Captain Hook jugs of alcohol,” Singley said.

She said the response at times included dozens of police officers, but the number of people attending the parties could still overwhelm the neighborhood.

“So it just it was chaos, pure chaos. And any reasonable person would be able to see that,” Singley said.

Baltimore County’s proposal follows similar action in Howard and Montgomery counties.