Nuisance Ordinance results in 151 arrests

By Jewels Phraner

Published Feb. 12, 2008

The aftermath of college parties usually consists of a few trips to a recycling center to dispose of the leftover bottles or cans and a hangover. But last year, for some Columbia residents like sophomore Zach Moss and 150 others, it also ended in a $500 ticket.

The Columbia Nuisance Party Ordinance was enacted Nov. 6, 2006, which defines nuisance parties as social gatherings of 10 or more people where any of 16 prohibited activities occur.

According to a report recently released by City Manager Bill Watkins and his staff, between the ordinance’s inception and Dec. 31, 2007, Columbia Police Department officers broke up 82 parties, mostly around the university or in neighborhoods known for college-aged tenants.

Moss and his two roommates were each fined $500 for a party. He said police counted 17 people in his Campus Lodge apartment.

“It wasn’t a real party, just a bunch of people coming over,” Moss said. “It was a Wednesday. It wasn’t a loud, crazy, weekend party by any means. Clearly, they wanted to make an example of us.”

Moss said he and his roommates haven’t had another party in their apartment since the incident, which Columbia Police Officer Tim Thomason said is one of the benefits of the ordinance.

“We used to go to residences three and four times, and we’d just be writing them peace disturbance tickets, but now we’re having only to go to houses once,” Thomason said.

Thomason also said he felt the ordinance has significantly reduced the amount of “uncontrollable parties.”

“Our focus was not to stop people from partying, just to party responsibly,” Thomason said.

When the ordinance was unanimously passed in a Columbia City Council meeting, Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe said she wanted to revisit the issue in one year.

Hoppe said in a phone interview she was ultimately happy with the outcome of the ordinance.

“What I’ve heard from the long-term homeowner residents of East Campus is that they feel like the nuisance party ordinance is working really well,” Hoppe said.

But, Hoppe did express some concerns over the way those suspected of violating the Nuisance Party Ordinance are being treated in court.

“I do have some concerns that the city prosecutors and the city judge aren’t using their discretion as much as they would on any other law,” Hoppe said.

Hoppe said she’s had several informal conversations with Columbia attorneys about whether prosecutors are being stricter with this ordinance than they would with other Columbia laws.

“Five-hundred dollars is a big fine,” Hoppe said. “I just want to make sure there’s balance. I don’t want it to be extreme or unfair, but it needs to stay effective.”

She said she hopes to bring up the issue in a city council meeting in the next month.

Moss said his lawyer told him and his roommates to expect strict treatment in court.