Club Rock could be shut down in as little as a week.
The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors Monday voted unanimously to seek a temporary injunction to close the business following police and fire safety reports that have deemed the venue hazardous.
The board, along with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office and County Fire Services Coordinator Kirk Rosenhan, will gather information for the district attorney’s office, which will then bring a case to chancery court. A judge will either issue or deny an injunctive action for abatement of nuisance until a hearing, County Attorney Jack Brown said.
The board also voted to develop an ordinance to regulate capacity and enforce safety codes at party and civic club venues, which don’t have alcohol licenses and typically are rented out.
“Law enforcement is still going to be there, and we’ll do what we have to to control it,” said Dolph Bryan, Oktibbeha County sheriff. “We need something else to fight this, to control the amount of people. Something else other than what’s on the books now.”
A message left at Club Rock was not returned.
The county does not have an ordinance that regulates places of public assembly, so county and state safety officials are unable to regulate capacity, number of exits and proof of liability insurance.
Bryan said security during events at Club Rock, on Rockhill Road near the Starkville city limits, can’t handle the large crowds that pack the venue during weekend parties. The board watched a police video of security peeling partygoers off a pile in the front doorway before making a decision.
“If there were 600 people in that building and there was a fire there, there would be a lot of lives lost,” Bryan said.
Rosenhan said there have been several instances where, if mayhem would have ensued in the club, multiple injuries would be suffered because of improper exits. Rosenhan said Club Rock has blocked exits and others that aren’t wide enough for the size and use of the venue. He said developing an ordinance similar to the city of Starkville would help the problem.
“We’ve called the state (fire) marshal’s office to request inspection for basic life safety standards (occupancy, lighting, handicap access and exits),” Rosenhan said, “but they can’t enforce it without an ordinance.”
Bryan said the OCSO doesn’t typically respond to nuisance calls at Club Rock because deputies usually make several rounds through the club on weekends. Fights and gunshots often occur with deputies either on site or nearby, he said.
Alcohol consumption is common at Club Rock, despite the venue’s lack of an alcohol license, which would require resort status because of the county’s “dry” policy.
“Club Rock is an every weekend problem,” Board President Marvell Howard said.
Club Rock wasn’t the only party place scrutinized Monday, as BJ3 owner Brad Spencer explained the steps he’s taking to decrease noise and parking issues near his venue on Old West Point Road near the Oktibbeha-Clay County line.
Fent Peters, a resident in the area, told the board he’s made numerous 911 calls about early-morning noise — mainly music with deep bass — alcohol consumption and speeding cars leaving the venue.
Spencer, though he leases the building and usually isn’t on site during weekends, acknowledged Peters’ claim of gunshots that were fired into the air recently.
“I beg to differ with their claim as a community center,” said Peters, who was joined by 10 to 15 neighbors. “We want some type of relief. We’d like to see some kind of ordinance passed to govern the sound out there.”
Rosenhan said BJ3 is a safe venue but he’d like to set an occupancy limit.
Bryan said Spencer “tries to run a decent place.”
The board didn’t take action, but residents can seek their own suit through the district attorney’s office to abate the nuisance.
Spencer said he has land to accommodate more than 300 cars at BJ3. He said he’s in the process of enclosing the noisiest side of the building.
“Whatever kind of ordinance is needed, I agree with it,” Spencer said. “But I don’t consider myself in the same category as Club Rock.”
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