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Resident urges city action after house on Cromartie Beach Drive becomes ticketed event venue
Summary
A resident told the commission an out‑of‑town owner turned a house into an unregulated event venue hosted off‑site shuttles and up to hundreds of guests, prompting calls for enforcement and possible short‑term rental ordinance changes.
Tommy Gregors, an East Albany resident, told the City Commission on June 3 that a property on Cromartie Beach Drive was bought in March 2022 and has been operated as a commercial event venue rather than as a private residence or ordinary short‑term rental.
“We can't even sit outside in our yard in the afternoons,” Gregors told the mayor and commissioners, citing amplified music, blocked driveways, double‑parked cars and multi‑night parties. He said events in 2024 and 2025 drew hundreds of attendees and used shuttle buses from Heath Park; one May 25 event required six minutes for him to drive down his street.
Why it matters
Gregors said the property hosts for‑profit, ticketed events that include alcohol and vendors, creating safety and quality‑of‑life concerns in a residential neighborhood and, in his view, exposing a loophole in enforcement of the city’s short‑term rental rules.
What the commission discussed
Commissioners asked whether the city's short‑term rental ordinance — which includes penalties that begin at $500 for a first violation — is sufficient when a host removes a listing from platforms like Airbnb and instead advertises to promoters. Commissioner Vilnius Gaines said enforcement needs to be proactive: “If there's an advertisement on social media that there's gonna be an event, we do something before the event as opposed to during and after.”
City staff and Chief Johnson said police have responded to complaints and sometimes curtailed events, but attendees often returned after officers left. Gregors said off‑duty county officers have worked hired security and that one party in 2024 ended only after a fight prompted police to break it up.
Next steps
Commissioners asked staff to examine other cities’ short‑term rental rules and consider strengthening Albany’s ordinance to close the enforcement loophole identified when listings are removed from commercial platforms. Commissioner Chad Warbington said the city has looked at examples from other jurisdictions and will “beef up our ordinance” if needed.
Ending
Gregors said he has provided images and videos to staff and commissioners and welcomed follow‑up from the city attorney and police chief. The commission directed staff to investigate enforcement options and to return with recommendations; no ordinance amendment was adopted at the meeting.
