Want to know how to run afoul of Montgomery County zoning laws? Host BDSM parties in your house and charge admission.
Paul Pickthorne, of Merrimack Park, has been hosting kink parties in his house for some time, and has been charging admission to defray the costs of hosting. His non-kinky (that we know of, anyway) neighbors complained to their county council representative, Roger Berliner, who responded that the county “has moved aggressively to put an end to this blight on your community.” This swift action took the form of a warning from the zoning inspector.
But I have to ask myself why it is that a bunch of consenting adults getting it on according to their non-mainstream-yet-not-hurting-anyone-who-doesn’t-like-it preferences constitutes a “blight” on a community, since the Post article makes clear that guests don’t park on the street or wear costumes outside of the house. I find it kind of chilling that neighbors can use a legal technicality to make trouble for someone because they’re uncomfortable contemplating (not even witnessing!) the legal sexual activity taking place inside the house. Turn your TV up a little louder and leave the kinksters alone.
Tiffany Baxendell Bridge is an Internet enthusiast and an incurable smartass. When not heckling the neighborhood political scene on Twitter, she can be found goofing off with her ukulele, Bollywood dancing, or obsessing about cult TV. She is That Woman With the Baby In the Bar.
Tiffany lives in Brookland with her husband Tom, son Charlie, and two high-maintenance cats. Read why Tiffany loves DC.
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