(Click on the image for Tracee Wilkins' News4 report)
The legislation will prevent homes from being used as party houses or restaurants without the proper permits needed for such businesses. Supporters of the legislation said the new rules will help cut down on extra traffic, noise and trash in their neighborhoods.
Opponents said some homeowners who use their residents as a business location do so for extra income to pay their mortgages. However, police were called to one of the home businesses for a homicide in January 2016.
Council members said the legislation will make it easier for police to shut down the businesses and punish those you operate them."
[See CB-030-2017]: This legislation prohibits the use of residential property for parties, events, assemblies, or gatherings open to the public in return for payment. The Police Department, the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement, the Department of Public Works, and other County agencies, spend hundreds of hours attempting to prevent, investigate, and clean-up trash from these events. This misuse of residential property is adversely impacting the surrounding residential neighborhoods with increasing criminal activity (including human trafficking, homicides, robberies, and other violent crimes), illegal adult entertainment, litter, noise, and traffic, by inhibiting ingress and egress of vehicles (including emergency vehicles).
This legislation will allow the Police Department or Code Inspector the ability to issue an immediate order to cease and desist the prospectively planned prohibited activity, to the owner, lessee, resident or apparent occupier of the property, and posting the front door of the property. If the event has occurred, a fine is levied for each offense.