Burien, WA Public Conduct: Loud Party Ordinance (2026)

The City of Burien has no separate party ordinance in the sections reviewed. Party noise runs through BMC § 9.105.410, Public disturbance noise prohibited, and the standard is reasonableness, not a decibel reading.

Subsection (1) is the general prohibition: it is unlawful for any person to cause, or for any person in possession of property to allow to originate from the property, sound that is a public disturbance noise. That wording reaches the host or tenant in possession of the property as well as the person making the sound.

Subsection (2)(d) names the situation directly. Frequent, repetitive or continuous sounds that emanate from any building, structure, apartment or condominium and that unreasonably disturb or interfere with the peace and comfort of owners or possessors of real property are a violation, such as sounds from musical instruments, audio sound systems, band sessions or social gatherings. Subsection (2)(c) covers the crowd outside: yelling, shouting, whistling or singing on or near the public streets, particularly between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., or at any time and place as to unreasonably disturb the peace and comfort of owners or possessors of real property.

The exclusions in BMC § 9.105.420 are limited to permitted special events and parks events, so a private gathering does not fall within them. A party that turns into a fight by agreement, or that includes abusive language intentionally creating a risk of assault, also meets the disorderly conduct definition in § 9.105.200(1), which is a misdemeanor.