KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The fun is over for people wanting to hold big parties for profit that violate zoning rules and disrupt neighborhoods in Kansas City, Missouri.
On Tuesday, the City Council approved a new ordinance that will make it easier for police to break up nuisance parties and businesses, but we’re not talking about your once a year New Year’s bash.
City Councilman says party houses can be a problem — selling liquor after hours and generating trouble for neighborhoods.
“I’ve had the displeasure of having such an event next to me for awhile, and it’s not real pleasant, and it’s a tremendously blighting influence in some of our neighborhoods,” he said.
The party houses are often the source of complaints about prostitution, drug dealing and assaults. The new ordinance targets what it calls nuisance businesses: Those are unlicensed operations run out of private homes that have prompted at least two police calls over two months time.
“They often get rolling about the time the legal bars and restaurants close down,” said Sharp.
“Most neighborhoods want immediate action,” said City Councilman, Scott Wagner. “Through this ordinance, we have an ability for immediate action.”
Before, city council members say police had to be invited into the parties and see illegal activity then come back with a warrant to arrest those involved, but now they say this ordinance will make it easier to bust up these places.
“It allows our police officers to have that immediate action,” Wagner explained.
If the business meets criteria, police will be able to tell people to leave, arrest those who won’t and arrest those who allowed the nuisance to get started.
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