SHERRILLS FORD, N.C. — Residents of a Lake Norman community in Sherrills Ford are upset because they claim venues are being held at “party houses.”
The neighborhood is zoned as residential, which means short-term rentals, including Vrbo and Airbnb, are allowed. However, venues are not allowed.
Lake Norman Vacation Rentals owns three houses on Vista View Drive called The Lodges. The website says the homes can sleep more than 60 people.
“They’re party houses. They’re these big homes that accommodate a lot of people,” neighbor Kaitlyn Rogers said. “People come to party.”
Neighbors say they’ve even seen tour buses.
1 of 3
“They often wait for the people for two, three hours with their motors running, lights on, fumes everywhere,” another neighbor, Michael Joseph, said.
They told Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke the county sent the company a letter last year warning the business and cited them.
The company emailed Stoogenke, “The Lodges is a place for guests to enjoy the lake house experience. Just like other houses on the lake, activities consistent with residential use are allowed. Uses that would violate the County’s Zoning Ordinance are not. Our goal is to provide a great experience for our guests that highlights the beauty of Lake Norman.”
Plus, a website advertising The Lodges asks guests to be “considerate of your neighbors and mindful of noise levels.”
However, neighbors say it’s still too busy. They want the county to do more.
“We want them to go to bat for us, work with the developer,” Joseph said.
The county says the business took steps to fix the situation, but that if it happens again, it would file a lawsuit seeking an injunction.
VIDEO: New bill seeks to regulate short-term rentals in cities and towns
©2025 Cox Media Group
