Montgomery Co. councilman introduces bill to regulate pool rentals after out-of-control parties

New bill would reduce disruptive pool parties in Montgomery County

Montgomery County is looking to regulate pool rentals after some parties got out of control. These events are drawing in hundreds of people to quiet residential areas which is becoming a nuisance. FOX 5's Sierra Fox has the story.

Montgomery County is looking to regulate pool rentals after some parties got out of control.

These events are drawing in hundreds of people to quiet residential areas and are becoming a nuisance.

Currently, there are no restrictions in place on handling these types of rentals.

That’s why Montgomery County Councilman Will Jawando has introduced Bill 6-23 which would authorize people to rent pools for parties, but in a legal way.

"There’s over 100 pools in Montgomery County right now. I think it’s a good innovation, but we just need to make sure it’s safe," said Jawando.

The proposal limits the number of people over the age of 18 to 6, so crowds don’t get out of control. In addition, it limits the total length of the event to two hours between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. to prevent loud disruptions at inappropriate times.

"I think we should take advantage of the fact that this is happening and then protect everybody by having rules of the road, a tax, regulations, and if you are abusing it, then we can weed those people out," Jawando said.

He sees it as a win-win situation.

"It enables people to use their property in some ways to get a financial gain, but it also helps people in our community who may not have access to a pool," the council member explained.

Massive pool parties being held in Prince George's County

The world is in the middle of a pandemic and people are getting sick every single day. But that hasn’t stopped massive pool parties from being held in Prince George’s County, including on several occasions last week.

In 2023, Swimply – a website where anyone can book a private pool – banned promoted events, including those with ticket sales or entry fees.

"Currently, it’s technically not allowed, but we know it’s happening," Jawando said.

This is a complicated issue, so Montgomery County Council will have another work session this fall to discuss the bill. The goal is to get it passed before the end of the year.

However, County Executive Marc Elrich does not support this legislation.