Neighbors Mad at ‘Party Houses’

So let me get this straight Chris. You spend all this time writing an article about a party house. But nay a word you have spoken over the sudden and overdue termination of former Interim and Deputy Director Brian Roney from the Community Services Department? Aren't you the County reporter? This "person" and his drama goes back to the days of his hiring less than two years ago under some suspicious circumstances that were looked into by the Grand Jury. What's next? A lengthy expose on the pros and cons of cement vs.cast iron trash receptacles?

This article and the surrounding complaining residences are ridiculous. Guess what? I buy property, I'm allowed to have people over and have parties. You don't like it? Close your windows. Or here's an idea, walk over to your neighbor and ask for a heads up when something loud will be happening. Stop complaining! You're worried about noise and traffic while others are lucky to be able to pay rent that month.

Crybabies.

Um, consider this. You buy a house expecting it will have RESIDENTIAL uses. That includes having non-paying guests to your parties, not every weekend, perhaps with an occasional fundraiser.

Next you find out that the owner has turned the party into a commercial venture, with the accompanying non-residential impacts - loud music, unusual parking and traffic needs into the night, virtually every weekend.

In the words of Leslie Gore, "You would cry too, if it happened to you..."

Consider this. You buy a residential property, move your family in and gang members move in across the street and they're always having loud parties and tons of people over and cops are always being called to the residence, a family of 10 move in next door and have so many cars they take up a few spots in front of your house, the house on the other side of you is rented to college kids who of course are freshman and have wild parties every chance they get. Do these people get the same treatment by us? No.

Muggy,

In an effort to have an intelligent discussion, what's your point? My example is of people conducting commercial activity in a residential neighborhood. I think that should be restricted.

Your example seems to be about people conducting private activity in a residential neighborhood. I think that should be restricted too, primarily by noise ordinances.

Please clarify what you believe.

Hey RobertRich, why not allow REAL market forces into play here instead of getting the government involved? Are you a Democrat by any chance?

Real market forces say that there is a demand for people to have large parties on large expensive residential properties in Santa Barbara.

Real market forces say that only X number of properties can support such a venture before it becomes unprofitable, so only a small limited number of people will have to deal with having a party house neighbor.

Real market forces say that it is OK that these parties occur on the same properties on a regular basis, thus lowering the price of surrounding properties and allowing those who might not normally be able to afford such a property the chance to live there as long as they are are ok with everything that comes with living next to a party house. Or perhaps party houses will begin to be blocked near each other, get together and create better parking situations. This would also reduce issues with neighbors, because one or more neighbors would already be a party house.

Sooo... if you live next to a party house, one solution might be to sell your house to a company who wants to rent your house out as a party house and move to an area that doesn't have them. Soon, having a party house pop up next door will become a risk that is built into the pricing mechanism for Santa Barbara mansions.

RobertRich: In your attempt to have an 'intelligent convesation" you've shown your unflattering colors.

My point is this kind of thing happens all over town and for some reason, only the wealthy are being looked at as victims. Yeah, what victims...own a home and the next door neighbors are renting their homes out and being loud. This is NOT a government issue. This is a personal one. People want the government to make more laws (which rids us of our freedom, little by little) when this should be a 'walk across the lawn to your neighbor and talk to them' issue.

if people calls the police at 7pm for a small private party, in a Saturday night, what to expect from "party houses" in residential areas. RobertRich's comment is a good example of the extremism in SB. Asking for regulating noise for private parties is a good example of intolerance. I know someone who bought a house in Hope Ranch. One day, his dog was barking for an hour, in the early afternoon, and the neighbors called the police. They got a citation and their address was listed in the HR local neighborhood paper. Does it makes sense to you go to those extremes? I think, in SB, people needs to learn to be more tolerant. To only report or complaint about serious issues, or when the party becomes a weekly problem, like the party houses mentioned in the article.

Yes, all your free marketeers and unlimited property rights folks have made your point. Free market principles are what made this country great, from child labor to Love Canal.

Zoning and nuisance laws exist for a reason, and it may not be the one you think. History has shown plenty of instances in which the "free market" isn't so free.

I completely agree that the first recourse is to have an intelligent, polite conversation with a neighbor who is partying a little too loudly.

But that has NOTHING to do with people who decide to conduct commerce in a residential area.

I doubt I have convinced anyone, and expect the usual barrage of insults as a substitute for reason. While I like minimal government interference in our lives, zoning is vital.

As some have said, for examples of how deregulation and non-taxation work, all you have to do is look at Somalia. How's the free market working out there?

"Party on, Wayne."
"Party off, Garth"
"Like, why, Wayne?"
"Like because we lacketh the proper permitteth, Garth."
"Bummer, Wayne."
"Indeed, Garth."

Run Credits

This is so blown outta proportion, fer reals. Now we have residents blaming the Supreme Court (see Robert Rich comments); next will come comparisons to Vietnam and last but not least, protest rallies in De La Guerra Sqr. in which angry residents will camp out until their demands are met.