Newport to Enforce Curbs on Party Crowd

City officials, police and homeowners in west Newport are taking steps to control the party atmosphere created by college students and weekly tenants in the area.

At a public meeting Thursday night, city officials promised about 50 residents in attendance that this summer they would enforce a noise ordinance and a ban on “flyer” parties, as well as increased police patrols. The measures are aimed at discouraging excessive revelry among people who rent many of the apartments between 33rd and 55th streets, along Seashore Drive.

Responding to complaints about Fourth of July parties, officials said they would consider erecting chain-link barricades and ban curbside parking along Seashore Drive this year to put a stop to “wandering parties.”

For years, permanent residents who want a clean and quiet neighborhood have been pitted against renters, many of whom are college students who have few qualms about cranking up a stereo to full volume late at night or having a party that spills onto the streets.

“I have seen it for years. The college kids have no respect for anything,” said Robert Bonn, 31, who has lived in west Newport all his life. “The locals here don’t like the noise--we have got to wake up early and go to work.”

Last November, homeowners brainstormed with city officials. Many of their ideas, however, have been discarded or reserved for further study.

Deputy City Manager Kenneth J. Delino said of the measures discussed Thursday night: “We still have to meet and talk about a lot of stuff. These are not fully approved. We are looking at costs but we think we have developed some good ideas and are now fleshing them out.”

Many residents were concerned about the Fourth of July parties that overwhelm the neighborhood each year.

“Ultimately the solution is to reduce the number of people who come down to the area,” said City Manager Kevin J. Murphy. “With all the drinking and noise, there is no one in the area who can enjoy their property.”

Delino said the city may erect chain-link barricades on that holiday to stretch across Seashore Drive from house to house, thus cutting off the street in five places between 55th and 33rd streets.

“This might be controversial. We don’t know if it will work,” Delino told the audience Thursday. “The fences might be used as volleyball nets.”

The city, Murphy said, has begun enforcing an ordinance for the issuance of permits to landlords who rent weekly. If their tenants cause undue trouble, the landlords’ permit to rent weekly would be revoked by the city.

“Legally, it changes the landlord to an innkeeper, as though you are at a hotel,” Murphy said. “It gives property owners . . . more incentive to evict trouble tenants.”

Additionally, a hot line for anonymous tips about troublemakers may be established, Delino said.

Police have agreed to deploy three additional officers on bicycles to the force that patrols west Newport on the weekends, Murphy said.

Though much of these tough measures target college students, none of them showed up at the meeting.