Michael Voorhies, a Hollywood Park City Council member, and his wife, Norelle Voorhies, filed a lawsuit against the town of Hollywood Park, claiming frequent noises emanating from a nearby community center disrupt their lives.
City officials used an email blast to alert residents March 2 that the city government was served notice Feb. 22 about the lawsuit filed on Feb. 9 in the 225th District Court.
According to the lawsuit, the Voorhies, who live 60 feet from the Voigt Center, located in Voigt Park, consider various noisy activities around the community facility an ongoing nuisance that keep the couple from enjoying their home.
The suit claims that mainly parties held at the Voigt Center, including those that last “well past the stated lease agreement time” have little to no city oversight and that noise complaints relayed “to the police are constant, but no action is taken.”
The Voorhies also claim two large air-conditioning units at the Voigt Center “are loud and run continuously,” and that sounds caused by post-party cleanup efforts and city grounds maintenance workers around the facility exacerbate matters.
“Plaintiff Michael Voorhies works from home secondary to COVID-19 and can hardly hear himself think while in his home office, and this disruption is adversely affecting his employment,” the lawsuit said. “Plaintiffs have informed the police, City Council and mayor. The mayor’s response [is] for [the] plaintiffs to wear noise-cancelling headphones inside their home.”
Additionally, the Voorhies claim party noise emanating from the Voigt Center violates city ordinances and the original deed restrictions surrounding the Voigt Center property, and that such an alleged nuisance is devaluating their own property.
The lawsuit said the Voorhies are seeking a permanent mandatory injunction against the city regarding Voigt Center activities. The Voorhies are also asking to recover costs related to legal fees and damages they claim have occurred to their home and their property value, the lawsuit said.
City officials have issued no comment about the Voorhies’ suit, but Mayor Oscar Villarreal said in the email blast that he was prompted to publicly release a copy of the suit after receiving questions from residents, and because it is a public document.