Ordinance controlling house parties may unfairly target student renters.
City officials passed a draft ordinance Wednesday to contain out-of-control house parties, but which opponents say unfairly target student renters.
This ordinance, passed by Madison’s Alcohol License Review Committee, establishes a set of seventeen guidelines that allow for law enforcement to identify a nuisance party and determine what course of action to take in response.
After reviewing officer’s reports, police captains can decide whether or not a party falls under the guidelines qualifying it as a nuisance party.
According to East District police captain Mary Schauf, a benefit of this ordinance is the involvement of the property owners in the discussion about properties where many large parties occur.
If found in violation of guidelines such as providing alcohol for minors or violating fire codes, tenants and property owners will be subjected to fines.
Downtown landlords voiced strong opposition to some of the provisions in the ordinance.
According to Curtis Brink, property owner, tenants are not included in discussions between law enforcement and property owners when a nuisance party occurs.
“If you’re going to stop this, you have to bring...the landlord and the tenants together to discuss what it’s about,” Brink said.
The Associated Students of Madison expressed similar concerns regarding tenant-landlord relations.
“It’s hard enough to have a good relationship with your landlord, and we’re just worried that this will make that situation even worse,” ASM Legislative Affairs Committee member Hannah Somers, said.
According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, this ordinance will affect the Mifflin Street block party.
According to Verveer, Madison’s Common Council “should have plenty of time to get this adopted...and enacted into law in time for the [Mifflin] block party.”
The ordinance will move on to the Public Safety Review Committee for a vote on Feb. 14 before moving on to Madison’s Common Council for a final vote.
