By Agrippina Fadel
Residents in the Woodlands are fed up with a “party house” and are asking the city for help.
A four-bedroom home on 5405 White Oak Lane, located in the posh Section 3 area of the 900 home community is the reason for many calls to the BSO and Code Enforcement in the past six months. The calls are triggered after hundreds of people and their vehicles show up at the property for paid parties.
Purchased in 2018 by Kevin Lewis and Brittany Lamy for $407,000, it’s unclear if the owners occupy it full time. The owner’s mailing address is 2715 Avenue D, Brooklyn NY 11226.
According to a neighbor who asked not to be identified, the last party included porta-potties and his-and-her handwashing stations outside. Five security guards dressed in bulletproof vests walked up and down the street guarding the event.
“The son-in-law of the owner promotes different businesses out of that home. He throws large parties, and 500-600 cars show up and park on the golf course straight down White Oak Lane.”
The parties serve liquor and are advertised online by a promotion company Pink Pineapple. They use the nearby clubhouse parking lot at Section 2, and shuttle people to the home.
“They are running a business out of a residential property,” said another neighbor.
Residents have contacted city commissioners, spoken with the city staff, and reached out to everyone they could think of in hopes of finding a solution.
At a recent party, the guests were hanging out on the street wearing “go-go boots, G-strings and money belts,” according to a neighbor.
“They were walking through our property like they were on the beach somewhere. And we are told there is nothing the Broward Sheriff’s Office and code enforcement can do because the parties are during the day, or the owner tells the officers he has a private birthday party when the officers show up. This is crazy,” a neighbor added.
Invitations to the parties are promoted online.
Recently, the owners began renting out “batmobile” vehicles at the home. According to the neighbors, Upscale Motor Sports is registered at the same address, with cars parked on the street every day. After a transaction, the clients drive off and leave their vehicles parked on the property.
“We are waiting on some sort of resolution, and hopefully, the city will approve the ordinance about parking on the grass soon,” said the neighbors, adding, “There are mountains of garbage after these parties; up to 15-20 industrial size bags sit outside on a curb for a week, waiting for the bulk pickup and attracting flies and rodents.”
Tamarac Mayor Michelle Gomez is familiar with the problem and says the city is actively looking for a solution, and discussing the issue at future commission meetings.
“It is one thing to have a family member’s wedding at the house and let the neighbors know about the event and try to minimize how it affects them,” said Gomez. “But the people who don’t have consideration for other residents and think they can use their home as a hotel or a club just because they have the room for it, I do not support it at all.”
Cars fill up the driveway, streets, and a nearby clubhouse parking lot according to neighbors.
“I believe residential means residential. Your house should not be utilized for your business. It is disrespectful and goes against the rules of the city and the community.”
According to Tamarac’s Public Information Office, the city is looking into strengthening the enforcement and penalties for noise and parking ordinances. It will continue responding to violations of the existing noise ordinance and violations of the Special Event ordinance or Fire Prevention Code as needed.
The city also warns of legal consequences for homeowners running a business from a residential address by organizing parties.
Businesses registered to the home.
We reached out to the social media account associated with the Pink Pineapple promotion company but has not heard back as of press time.
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