For almost two years, University junior Ben Nelson has lived in a house on a corner of East 19th Avenue and Agate Street. During his time there, the house has become notorious for parties. This year, they have mellowed out, hosting only roughly eight to 10 parties in a six-month span. @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Ben*Nelson@@
But, during this time last year, he and his roommates threw approximately 20 to 22 parties and had the police called on them multiple times for noise complaints. Many times, the police would specifically patrol the area in anticipation of a wild party. There are many houses like Nelson’s, according to a list compiled by the Eugene Police Department. It shows loud noise complaints in an area stretching from Ferry Street to Interstate 5, Franklin Avenue to East 23rd Avenue. The results showed 551 complaints, with some rental properties coming up as many as four times.
“The neighbors are frustrated sometimes,” Nelson said. “But for the most part, our parties stay under control.”
He noted that whenever the police have been called — about four to five times last year — the tenants were compliant and followed the officer’s orders. By doing that, they avoided conflict and controlled a party that could have been out of control.
To crack down on house parties, the Neighborhood Livability Work Group@@http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oGdXpSvqBPpFkApkVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1YzdscWw0BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA1NNRTA4MF8yNDk-/SIG=14lkmnpqe/EXP=1335963346/**http%3a//www.eugene-or.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_371061_0_0_18/NLWG%2520Report%2520-%2520Final%2520(min%2520size).pdf@@ drafted a social host ordinance that would fine residents living in houses $500 if they host parties involving underage drinking, illicit drug use and loud noise.
“That sounds absurd,” Nelson said. “Every time we have had to deal with the police, it’s been a relatively good experience. If you live in a college town, you need to expect that parties are thrown Thursday through Sunday. They need to buck up.”@@lol@@
University junior Kyle Holsworth has lived on the corner of East 14th Avenue and Ferry Street for the past two years. During that time, the area experienced a riot in the autumn of 2011. @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Kyle*Holsworth@@
“Before the riot, everything seemed way more relaxed than it is now,” Holsworth said. “Since the riot, they really cracked down. I think that’s why they added the ordinance.”
He said he throws a party every weekend, with complaints filed multiple times against his house. The house had settled down from parties for a month because of fines the tenants had to pay. But shortly after, he began hosting again.
“I’ve been to a couple of other college towns,” Holsworth said. “This is the only town where something is talked about to this extent.”
Bill Aspegren, board member of the South University Neighborhood Association, has been working on the Neighborhood Livability group’s ordinance since last year. He has noticed parties getting out of hand time and time again, with events that have drawn large crowds such as band parties. @@http://uoregon.edu/search/google?cx=007073932731063683169%3Aicvpbosgw-4&cof=FORID%3A11&query=Bill+Aspegren&sa.x=48&sa.y=11&safe=off&form_build_id=form-773131fe0d69453df251a227fcd8b080&form_id=google_cse_searchbox_form@@
“We know that it’s mostly students that are responsible (for out-of-control parties),” Aspegren said, who lives near East 19th Avenue and Agate Street. “But, we also know that it’s not all students. It’s a way of dealing with repeat offenders. Some houses become party houses, and those houses need to be targeted.”
Michael Kinnison, the city of Eugene neighborhood program manager,@@http://www.eugene-or.gov/portal/server.pt?space=CommunityPage&control=SetCommunity&CommunityID=839&PageID=4445@@ said the ordinance was currently back on the drawing board and being worked out. @@I can’t find these names because the City of Eugene websites are super crappy@@
“Ben (Eckstein) and others from the ASUO expressed their unhappiness with our ordinance to elected officials,” Kinnison said. “There are a couple of things to figure out.”
Some of those things, he said, were just wording issues and items that could be misinterpreted. But, the bigger issue was the $500 first-offense penalty. He said that after the Eugene City Council decided the ordinance needed more work last Monday, the group is working on alternative first-offense penalties, such as mandatory community service or apologizing and speaking with those who filed the complaint.@@very good@@
“We will continue to invite ASUO and students, and we will consider what changes they have to offer,” Kinnison said. “Right now, some of the information that students believe is misconceptions. I think if folks really understood what the ordinance was, it would alleviate a lot of the concerns.”
Carter Hawley, an EPD police commission analyst and council liaison, believes the new ordinance addresses the problem with the ordinance already in place. Currently, the first-response ordinance has more manageable penalties and only applies to parties that have 25 people or more.@@http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oGdSTfv6BPB2MAW7pXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1NjV0Y2JuBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA1NNRTA4MF8yNDk-/SIG=1476l6us3/EXP=1335963743/**http%3a//www.eugene-or.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_374085_0_0_18/2012%252003%252008%2520PC%2520Packet.pdf@@
“There are significantly more problems occurring in parties that have less than 25 people,” Hawley said. “People just aren’t responding to the current ordinance and fines.
“It’s better for the students who don’t want to get fined. It’s better for the neighbors and the police, and it’s safer. It’s a win-win.”
University junior Alex Crane moved to East 17th Avenue and Ferry Street last September from an apartment east of campus. Crane wanted to move to the West University neighborhood for a new experience, but he admitted the allure of the party atmosphere attracted him as well. And, although his house was not notorious for parties before he got there, he knew he was going to the right place if he were looking for one. @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Alex*Crane@@
“We don’t throw parties that often,” Crane said. “But people around us are always throwing parties. Sometimes, it’s hard to sleep when there are siren lights flashing outside of your window.”
Crane is moving next year to the South University neighborhood. Although he has enjoyed his time at his party-central house, it’s time for him to focus on preparation for his MCAT exam — something he cannot do in the often-loud house on Ferry.
“It’ll be different being away from the party scene,” Crane said. “But it’ll be nice to have a bit of quiet.”