Why Germantown will continue to seek injunction after home used for party put up for sale

Germantown is continuing to seek legal action against a homeowner despite the home, which was the site of a controversial July 21 party, being put up for sale.

The home at 3371 S. Forest Hill Irene Road is listed on Zillow with a sales price of $1.65 million. The home was listed for sale on Saturday, according to Zillow.

The listing says the single-family home, which was built in 2021 and sits on 1.74 acres, includes six bedrooms, five full bathrooms, one half bathroom and two laundry rooms.

On Friday, the City of Germantown filed for an injunction hearing with the Shelby County Chancellor regarding the residence being “used and marketed as an event and entertainment venue.” The home hosted what the city dubbed a “commercial event” on July 21, according to the legal documents filed.

Germantown said the unauthorized event was advertised to include an admission charge and unlicensed sale of alcoholic beverages. The suburb is looking to schedule a hearing on the matter before the Shelby County Chancellor by mid-August.

Documents filed by Germantown name Tyisha Jones as the resident, owner and defendant in the case. Online records also name Lonnie Jackson as a property owner. Jackson declined to comment when contacted by The Commercial Appeal. Jones has not responded to requests for comments.

On Tuesday, Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo told The Commercial Appeal no hearing date for the injunction had been set yet. He said the injunction is to seek relief for another planned event in September. Details for another Reposado Festival on Sept. 21 have been posted on social media, although the location is listed as TBD on the latest posts.

“That’s the goal and the purpose for that (injunction),” Palazzolo said. “The party is planned on that specific site, and that’s what we will argue before the chancellor when that hearing is set.”

Palazzolo said the home being put up for sale has no impact on what Germantown is looking to accomplish with the injunction.

“It’s inconsequential to this hearing that is coming up,” he said. “The injunction is again about the party that has been planned and advertised on the (Sept.) 21."

Palazzolo said the city will work to fine tune and fortify its ordinances and codes in place so situations like the July 21 party won’t happen again.

“When you host an event at your residence that has all the appearances of a commercial venture, you know in this situation, an entertainment venue, that’s a commercial enterprise on residential property,” he said. “That not something that is allowed. We’ll look at how we structure our codes and ordinances moving forward. We have good code and ordinances in place right now. We’ll need to fortify them some and be more detailed oriented. That’s what we will do to follow up for others that might want to try to operate an entertainment venue or commercial enterprise on residential zoned property.”

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The property at 3371 S. Forest Hill Irene Road has been marketed on social media as an “outdoor venue” center available for hosting “weddings, family reunions, birthday parties, and festivals,” according to the city's legal filings, and has been advertised as “The Yard @Germantown."

According to legal documents, Germantown officials received information from concerned residents that Jones would be using the property to host the “Reposado Festival Part 2” event on July 21, with prices up to $70 per ticket. Germantown police contacted Jones to inform her that the ticketed event was in violation of several of the suburb’s ordinances, the city said, and she was told by law enforcement that her plan for guest parking across the street at Forest Hill Elementary School was not allowed.

Jones said she would refund all ticket sales and host the event as a private party but she did not refund any ticket sales and conducted the event as a for-profit enterprise, the city's complaint states.

Since the event, documents said, several residents in the neighborhood have complained to the city administration about the event, including about noise and congestion.

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Legal documents cite social media posts showing alcohol being served, musical acts performing and several hundred people in attendance. To address the use of the property, the city administration and Palazzolo have been working with the city’s attorney, police department and economic and community development and code enforcement.

"Adherence to city and county ordinances and state law that are meant to protect the quiet enjoyment of residential neighborhoods is paramount," Palazzolo said. "Taking action to enforce the code ensures that events on private property do not conflict with the intent of our neighborhood zoning."

Corey Davis is the Collierville and Germantown reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Corey.Davis@commercialappeal.com or 901-29 3-1610.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why Germantown will continue to seek injunction after home used for party put up for sale