Lexington Terrace Park Sunday Crowds: Some Feel it is "Getting Out of Hand......"

Photos/videos provided by a constituent

I've been contacted numerous times over the last several weeks about large, rowdy, crowds gathering at Lexington Terrace Park every Sunday.  This park, which is in D2 across from the Old Corry Field Post Office, has a large housing community as well as a park and a dog park.

Over the last several Sundays--the crowds coming out on Sunday afternoons have become larger and larger.  Now cars are parking illegally, blocking some roads, preventing citizens from entering, threatening some, and trying to "charge" a cover charge from others, allegedly.

The issue is boiling over and blowing up into complaints of which I am now hearing.

One constituent (a District 1 constituent that likes the Lex Terrace Dog Park and who frequents it) states:

"Good evening commissioner Bergosh, I hope you're having a great Easter.  I apologize for interrupting your weekend but I had to update you about the Lexington Terrace park situation.  The parties have gotten so large that people who want to use the dog park are being turned away by the party's "security."  This has gotten way out of hand and the County Commission needs to do something about this.."

he went on.. "As we're sitting in the park--the party started shooting off fireworks which caused panic at the dog park....Several people have called the sheriff's office over the past few weeks and each time the sheriff's office have said that the organizers had a permit there's nothing they can do..."

I've confirmed now that nobody had a permit.  Nobody has the right to block entrance to the park. Nobody has the right to charge an entrance fee, either.

Anecdotally, I've also heard allegations of numerous noise complaints associated with these parties--with some exasperated residents allegedly complaining, and I'm paraphrasing, that they "shouldn't have to listen to loud, obnoxious music where there is profanity, the "N-Word" over and over and language about Mother f-ing that  F-ing  "P word", etc. etc."---blasted so loud the words can be heard by nearby houses and families.

Nobody should have their quiet Sunday afternoon, at their own house, interrupted with loud music with this sort of language.  There's no permits issued for this sort of situation and this type of amplified "music".

Several residents have expressed such anger that I'm told there may be a presence of angry residents at the next BCC meeting this Thursday.  We will see I guess...

Meanwhile, it is my understanding that staff is investigating this and have asked the sheriff for assistance if necessary to ensure the park's rules are being followed and folks are not violating rules or laws with the gatherings.

Complex Problems, Creative Solutions

Imagine if you had a neighbor that ran a generator morning, noon, and night because his power was shut off and he could not afford to reconnect it.  Imagine if nobody addressed this continuing nuisance of noise next door?

Everyone knows that after a storm or if the power is out for an extended period--the sounds of generators will ring out throughout the suburban neighborhoods of Escambia County Florida. 

As power is restored, one by one, the generators get turned off and these very useful machines get stored away in the garages of Pensacola until the next storm or power outage.

At least that's the way it typically is.....

In one District 1 neighborhood, though, a generator runs constantly--24/7, 365 days a year.

"The occupant had his power cut off long ago, and so they just run the generator for power" said one resident I spoke with about this issue.  He continued "I'm told they (occupants of the house) can't afford to pay the fees and back charges, so they are not going to have the power turned back on--they just run their generator."

As I toured the area recently, I parked three houses away from the house that is running the generator.  The moment I stepped out of the car I heard the distinctive, droning, continuous sound of the gas powered generator.  It was loud.

Imagine if you had a neighbor that did this in your neighborhood---and the sound never ended?  It would get old very quickly.

Imagine if it continued, unabated, for month after month after month...

Luckily for us all, our current noise ordinance covers such noises in residential neighborhoods.  Sec. 42-65 (l) states that "between the hours of 10:00P.M. and 7:00 A.M. the operation of..any internal combustion engine, the operation of which causes noise due to the explosion of operating gases or fluids, provided that the noise is unreasonably loud and can be heard across the property line from which it emanates..[is] declared to be a per se violation of this article"

Now that it is understood that the current, existing ordinances cover this nuisance issue, the next step is to ensure that the ordinance is being enforced as appropriate.  This is the step we are at right now on this particular matter, we shall see how this goes but hopefully this matter will be resolved lawfully in short order.