Montgomery County Council cracks down on illegal commercial house parties

ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Montgomery County Council is cracking down on illegal commercial house parties. On Tuesday, the council unanimously passed a bill that aims to strengthen enforcement on for-profit unlicensed residential events.

What we know:

The bill, co-sponsored by Dawn Luedtke (D-Dist. 7) and Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1), targets events that pose public safety, noise, and zoning issues. According to an online report from BethesdaMagazine.com, Council member Natali Fani-González (D - Dist.6) assured residents that "quinceañeras, sweet 16s, personal weddings" and similar events would not apply to the new legislation.

These illegal gatherings have "grown in frequency and scale, fueled by social media promotions and online ticket sales", according to a press release from the office of the bills' sponsors. Last summer, a raucous ticketed Potomac house party sparked controversy when neighbors voiced their concerns over cramped parking, illegal drugs and fireworks in their neighborhood, according to WTOP News.

Increased penalties

The new law is set to ban for-profit unlicensed parties or entertainment at a residential property open to the public. It dramatically increases potential fines for the illegal parties from $25 to $5,000, with additional penalties that could add up to $15,000 when associated violations (i.e. excessive noise) occur simultaneously. Nonprofit and community-based events are exempt from the increased fines.

What's next:

Once signed into law, the Department of Permitting Services and the Montgomery County Police will be tasked with enforcement. Additional community outreach is expected this fall.