Leave it to Edgartown to try to pass a bylaw restricting parties. Next they might require everyone’s trim to be the same color, or their nighttime lights dimmed so as not to offend any pedestrians.
Jokes aside, the town’s building inspector and member of the bylaw review committee is proposing to restrict the amount of parties a homeowner can have at a given property.
The proposal would limit “social events” with more than 50 people to two per week, or five per month. Exemptions would be granted if the gathering has a community or public interest. Social events include anything from birthday celebrations to weddings and reunions.
The presentation last Monday feels like just the start of the discussion. Anything that is finalized would have to go before town meeting voters, and there’s a hearing where the select board will review the proposal on Jan. 8. So if you like throwing parties — or dislike large gatherings — you’ll have a chance to chime in.
The issue seems to stem from a recurring incident last summer when a private residence was the location for multiple whiskey tastings and other events. Neighbors complained about excessive noise and traffic congestion.
There are some looming questions to consider. Probably the biggest is how this would be enforced and permitted. Requiring a homeowner to request a permit to throw a party sounds like overkill and a major headache, and it seems unlikely to happen. We’re effectively punishing the rule followers.
As with most municipal issues, we imagine that enforcement would be complaint-driven. Residents who have issues with their neighbors will undoubtedly be counting the number of people filing into a house, and alerting police when 50 people are added up. First, are the police then supposed to go and count everyone, and write a ticket to violators? That seems like a waste of a police officer’s time. Second, how would they know this is the third party of the week, or the sixth of the month? Is the town considering adding a position to its building department to enforce the rules? Raising taxes to hire someone to stop partying seems a little excessive.
The proposal is also considering a $300 fine, which would be unlikely to discourage anyone who can host 50 people several times a week.
The bylaw also raises the question of whether police are already armed with the laws and regulations they need to bust up an annoying party. If noise and traffic and parking are the issues, there are options. Noise complaints can be filed. Granted, noise can be tough to regulate, but multiple check-ins from the police generally lead to compliance from hosts.
Traffic and parking can be addressed. Homeowners looking to host a lot of guests should have to show that they can provide the parking, one way or another. That way, lawns aren’t driven over, and traffic held up with cars circling the neighborhood looking for parking. If a homeowner is throwing multiple ragers a week, perhaps requiring them to hire a police detail is a better way to handle it than more bureaucracy.
Despite outstanding questions and issues, regulating overzealous parties in private residences is worth exploring when considering short-term rentals. Undoubtedly, Airbnbs and other online options can be problematic for some neighborhoods.
But it’s likely easier and more beneficial to regulate Airbnbs with their own set of regulations that we’ve discussed in this editorial section before, like not allowing too many guests in one property; compiling a registration of short-term rentals that will be subject to regulations, inspections, and their own set of parking restrictions; homeowners could lose their privilege to offer short-term rentals if they fail to comply.
In fairness to the Edgartown proposal, the idea isn’t to stop parties completely. It’s worth pointing out that two social events a week isn’t too radical. If someone is throwing five large events a week, there might be more going on than graduation parties.
But Edgartown has to ask itself if it wants to be known as the place that ended partying. We would argue that Martha’s Vineyard is known as a place that can throw a good party, whether at a bar, venue, or a backyard. That’s a good thing. And if that means tolerating your slightly noisy neighbors for a few months out of the year, we think that’s reasonable. It’s better than no parties at all.
