Newport Beach : Plan to Curb Loud Parties Gains Support

Residents appear to be in support of the city’s impending party ordinance, which would use fines to curtail loud parties in the city.

Only six residents attended an informational meeting last week to discuss the measure and all of them favored the new controls, officials said.

Police Sgt. Andy Gonis acknowledged that the ordinance is being discussed during the city’s off-season, when visitors who rent homes are not yet in town.

“Most of the people who are renting at this time of year are long-term leases,” he said, adding the ordinance is designed precisely to protect those people.

“It is going to deter those (renters) who come down here simply to take advantage of others,” he said.

The ordinance, tentatively approved by the City Council last week, is expected to get final approval in January.

Currently, the city bills the tenants of “party houses” $150 if police have to go to the same address more than once in 30 days to quiet loud parties. Under the new ordinance, fines would rise to $250 for the second party call within a year, to $500 for the third call and $750 for the fourth and any subsequent calls.

Despite the stiff fines, police maintained they are not looking at the measure as way to raise revenue.

“We’re not hoping to generate money,” Gonis said. “What we’re hoping to do is end the party problem.”

Residents of west Newport, where police traditionally have had to answer the bulk of complaints about loud parties, requested the controls to curtail rowdiness and noise, he said.

The police have enlisted the aid of rental agents and property management agencies to inform tenants, especially week-to-week renters who visit between Memorial Day and Labor Day, of the penalties if parties get out of hand, Gonis said.

The ordinance would also gives officers some discretion in applying the penalties when answering party-call complaints, he said.

“What one person calls just having a good time may be a tremendous irritant to someone else,” Gonis said.