Lee’s Summit shoots down noisy Airbnb

An Airbnb that disrupted a neighborhood in southwest Lee’s Summit will be shut down.

The owner, Anthony Blogumas, had applied for a special-use permit to bring his rental business into compliance with city regulations. He has been renting four bedrooms of his house at 2710 Monarch Court, causing his neighbors to lodge nuisance complaints. Such rentals in Lee’s Summit are allowed for “Bed & Breakfast Homestay” establishments as long as they have a special-use permit and meet other stipulations, such as providing parking in a side yard or rear of the property.

Blogumas met neither requirement.

Applying for a permit, he asked for a waiver of the parking rule, which city staff was recommending because he had a driveway that could accommodate four cars.

The neighbors had complained of large, raucous parties and parking that spilled over onto the street, with more than a dozen vehicles choking the small cul-de-sac where the house is located.

Blogumas testified at a public hearing Aug. 10 before the Lee’s Summit City Council that such parties had only happened twice and were against the house rules. He said his guests were “good wholesome people” who were getting together for family reunions or weddings. Some groups were traveling athletic clubs attending tournaments, he said.

He said he wasn’t planning on the Airbnb as an ongoing business. He was renting it only to make mortgage and utility payments until he sold the property. He said he was unemployed and wanted to avoid a foreclosure.

He said he would diligently enforce rules that guests had to park in the driveway, not on streets, and hours when they could use the deck.

Neighbors of Blogumas repeated complaints made at the Planning Commission hearing, saying they were concerned about safety.

They questioned how he’d supervise the situation, since he wasn’t living there. Blogumas said the city’s definition of occupancy doesn’t specify how often he stays overnight himself. He said he’s living in Belton, but has many of his belongings in the home while he waits for it to sell.

Jeromey Baker said five children live in the cul-de-sac, which doesn’t have sidewalks and have to use the street. It’s also worrisome to have strangers in and out of the neighborhood, coming to the Airbnb, he said.

“I feel unsafe for my wife who has to spend the weekend alone,” said Baker, who is in the military and is often away.

Councilwoman Diane Forte said she’d been told that streets had been blocked so that trash trucks couldn’t pass. She wondered what would have happened if someone needed the fire department.

She said felt bad about Blogumas’ situation, but noted that houses on the market were going fast in Lee’s Summit.

“It’s gonna sell; it’s a beautiful area,” she said.

The permit got no support from any council members. Because neighbors had signed a protest petition, at least six votes were required to approve the permit.

The council voted 7-0, with David Mosby absent, to deny the permit.

“This use adversely affects the use of the rest of the single-family residences in this subdivision,” said Councilman Rob Binney.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Lee’s Summit shoots down noisy Airbnb."