As a mysterious, rhythmic sound reverberated through the walls of Ryan Thomas’ Columbia home, he worried that his recently repaired air conditioning was faltering again.

But it wasn’t the new blower motor. The oontz-oontzes came from a pool party across the street.

That was weeks ago, and neighbors including Thomas say the partying on the once quiet Llanfair Drive shows no sign of winding down.

“It’s the scope, scale and persistence” of the festivities that upset some residents on the cul-de-sac, Thomas said. “Sure, people have parties in the summer, but they’re not having them Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and, in this case, Monday.”

Neighbors call the parties a nuisance and a safety hazard, with trash dropped and cars parked everywhere and rowdy behavior that spills into other yards and the street.

The house in question has attracted crowds of revelers to the tree-lined Llanfair Drive via promotions posted on Instagram and Eventbrite. Tickets for two upcoming “Sex on the Peach” pool parties at that address were priced around $30, though the location and other details have since changed.

For-profit house parties share close ties with Maryland’s short-term rental industry. Suburban property owners rent out their homes to a second party that then hosts public, ticketed events.

Such arrangements often run afoul of local zoning laws forbidding both short-term rentals and commercial activity in residential areas. They pose a growing problem for suburban communities and county authorities.

The Howard County Council convened an emergency meeting Monday to consider increasing the penalties for paid parties at residential properties from $250 to $5,000.

The Montgomery County Council last week raised its own penalties for such infractions to $5,000. Lawmakers there said smaller fines were ineffective for preventing blowouts such as the “Wet Dreams Mansion Pool Party” of 2024, which sent shock waves through a wealthy Potomac community. Promotions for that party advertised cash bars, hookah, bottle service and cabana rentals beginning at $1,000.

Although short-term rentals and commercial activity in residential areas are banned already in Howard County, Councilwoman Deb Jung, a Democrat representing Columbia, said larger fines are urgently needed before the summer ends.

Jung worries the area risks attracting party promoters who can no longer afford the fines in Montgomery. Paid parties have been reported in at least three councilmanic districts this summer, she said during Monday’s emergency meeting.

Howard County Councilman Opel Jones expressed support for the measure, which comes to a vote July 30, but worried that moving quickly could result in unintended consequences.

It’s not clear who is behind the so-called party house on Llanfair Drive. Maryland property records show it sold for $892,898 in late 2024 to Meir Rechteshafer, who did not respond to a request for comment.

Neighbors have interacted only with a man named Mendi Baron, who declined an interview request and wouldn’t describe his arrangement with Rechteshafer. In a statement, Baron said he has ceased “certain activities” there after he was contacted by Howard County zoning authorities.

“I remain committed to operating within the law and maintaining a safe and respectful environment for my guests and neighbors,“ he said. ”The ongoing portrayal of my home as a commercial event venue is false and unjustified. It is my sincere hope that future concerns can be addressed without bias or misrepresentation.”

Baron, who is Jewish, characterized some of the neighbors’ comments as antisemitic without providing details. He also said he has heard racist objections to Black guests in the neighborhood.

Mark Southerland, a resident on Llanfair Drive, said he doesn’t begrudge people wanting to make a little money or enjoy their own homes. But his neighborhood wasn’t built to support events like those next door at Baron’s house, he said.

“It’s one of these things you don’t think about until it’s happening to you,” Southerland said.

He and other neighbors shrugged off Baron’s statement suggesting opposition was rooted in prejudice.

“He’s deflecting from taking responsibility,” said Lynn Lascola, who lives three doors down from Baron and described the area as extremely diverse. “We just want peace in our neighborhood.”

Lately, Lascola has been picking up trash left behind by partygoers — fast food containers, napkins, plates, alcohol bottles, the occasional beach towel — and placing it on Baron’s driveway.

The way Lascola sees it, the partygoers have little incentive to consider how their actions affect the neighborhood.

She’s snapped photos of people in the street swigging from bottles of Tito’s vodka and witnessed plumes of cannabis smoke billowing from vehicles that pull up to the house. Visitors’ vehicles have blocked access to fire hydrants and recently trapped an Amazon delivery truck, Lascola said.

Howard County Police have responded to such parties, mostly for noise, disorderly conduct and parking complaints, spokesman Seth Hoffman said in an email. Often the party is dispersed when police respond and no one is cited.

Baron acknowledged that one party got out of hand after he said a guest brought more individuals than agreed upon.

After the incident, neighbors said they each received a three-page letter from Baron apologizing for the party and stating that he believed tickets had been sold on Eventbrite.

“I do not allow ticketed events to take place at my property unless they are planned with my full involvement well in advance, with all proper measures in place for safety, cleanliness and community respect,” the letter states. “These are extremely rare, fully controlled, and always kept within reasonable, permitted bounds.”

Baron said in his statement that he has since updated listings for his property to restrict access to friends and family only. He emphasized that private events held at his home for friends, family or colleagues are not illegal.

On Wednesday afternoon, Llanfair Drive had fallen quiet once again. The only reverberations came from a woodpecker rapping on a tree trunk.

Nearby, the welcome mat at Baron’s front door greeted visitors with a wisecrack reference to the classic children’s television program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

Its faded words quipped that the TV show’s host “did not adequately prepare me for the people in my neighborhood.”