Neighbors demand action after illegal pool party that filled streets, city says citations issued

Residents pressed Birmingham elected officials Monday after a large, commercially advertised pool party in a single‑family neighborhood left streets blocked, vehicles damaged and dozens of neighbors frightened.

City Manager Jenna Ecker told the joint meeting of the City Commission and Planning Board that the weekend event was not an Airbnb or other typical short‑term rental but rather a private pool rented to a third party and advertised as a commercial use. "This was not a short term rental… it is illegal," Ecker said, adding that staff spent the weekend and all of Monday reviewing the matter and that "there will be multiple tickets, or there have been multiple tickets issued." She introduced the police investigations captain and the building official to explain citations and code violations.

Captain Simpson, investigations captain with the Birmingham Police Department, said officers responded repeatedly beginning about 4 p.m., that decibel readings later in the evening justified shutting the event down, and that enforcement led to several misdemeanor citations for permitting a gathering of disorderly persons, breach of the peace and public nuisance. He said traffic enforcement at dispersal produced additional citations and at least one arrest. "We took noise complaints, traffic complaints, those sorts of things," Simpson said in summarizing the department's response.

Neighbors described scenes of chaos and safety risks. "All the families that were on our street were terrified in our homes," said Sam Elnajar, who said he lives two houses from the property. Elnajar said he saw drivers use lawns as passageways and that emergency vehicles could not have reached homes during the peak of the event.

Building Official Jeff Zilke reported three open building permits at the address and cited violations tied to the pool, the deck and an accessory structure; staff requested as‑built surveys and said the permits must be corrected.

Public commenters urged clearer enforcement and faster city action. Multiple residents asked whether the police are sufficiently staffed and whether officers have the training and legal tools needed to shut down large off‑platform events sooner. Several speakers also said the property remained publicly listed on rental or yard‑rental websites after the incident, and that the homeowner served in a volunteer city role; staff said correspondence and potential removal from volunteer positions were being pursued as part of follow‑up.

The city said it had referred zoning and building matters to the appropriate code‑enforcement staff and would continue criminal investigations where warranted. Officials told residents they would update the public as tickets are processed and any hearings or administrative actions occur.

The commission heard dozens of public comments and declined to take immediate legislative action at the meeting; staff said they would continue investigations and enforcement and that affected homeowners could be subject to fines or administrative hearings. The meeting moved next to a discussion of short‑term‑rental policy.

The planning director and police said the investigation remains active and that additional citations or hearings may follow as code, building and criminal reviews conclude.