Oakland Hills Homeowner Defies City's Orders, Continues Hosting Weddings
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- The city of Oakland is ordering a homeowner to not hold weddings and other commercial events at his hilltop residence above UC Berkeley's Memorial Stadium.
Bay Area News Group reports neighbors have long complained about the weekly parade of wedding guests traveling up the narrow Panoramic Way to David "Sandy" Boyd's home. They say it congests windy roads, adds excessive noise and creates a potential fire hazard.
But homeowner David Boyd said renting his out his place known as "Skyfall" is no different than using Airbnb, the short-term rental website.
Featuring panoramic view and whimsical architecture, Skyfall is booked through November 2016. Boyd appealed a cease-and-desist order from the City of Oakland in April 2014, but lost.
Then in August, the city declared Boyd's property a public nuisance, fining him $3,500 and giving him 30 days to abate or face daily fines of $500. Boyd appealed that, and is now awaiting a hearing date.
In the meantime, lawyer and friend of Boyd told the Bay Area News Group that the city allowed Boyd to "honor the contracts he signed" for weddings, but the city said that's not true as Skyfall has no business license.
City Councilman Dan Kalb, who represents that Oakland neighborhood, said the Airbnb comparison is "lawyer B.S."
"Bringing a wedding with hundreds of people there is not like a rental of a small little cottage," Kalb told the Bay Area News Group. "It's insulting that they think we'd buy that crap."
