DCist: 5 a.m. 4 a.m. 2 a.m.?

joced

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:02:27 -0500

true Love is was projecting to do $700,000 a night, from door sales and valet services alone, not including any food or beverage sales, big bucks. VA's do cover patios but the hours of operation are often a large part of them. just the term "voluntary" in nuts.

14thandYou

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:49:38 -0500

"Quite a few of the voluntary agreements only control patio hours, not indoor hours. So it's a bit more complex than "don't go to Dupont, Logan, etc..." Not the ones I have seen. VAs cover practically every aspect of a bar/restaurant's business, from the hours they can operate, to how loud the music can be on their rooftop patio. The spirit of the Council's decision to allow an extension of operating hours will be lost if there isn't some way to deal with the VAs that are currently in place.

14thandYou

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:47:44 -0500

Here, here IMGoph. That pretty much sums up the "voluntary agreement" process. I've got an inquiry out to two members of ANC2f inquiring about how they are planning to handle the inevitable inquiries about how they may handle petitions from area businesses regarding the granting of extended hours exemptions to area businesses. I think I know what the answer will be, but we'll see...

wheresmycoffee

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:08:40 -0500

i heard on the radio that Love anticipates bringing in over 700,000 dollars a night

wheresmycoffee

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:03:54 -0500

it makes me wonder if anyone thinks that anywhere in the urban parts of the city will have a moment of quiet during the inauguration weekend.

downtown rez

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 10:47:52 -0500

Quite a few of the voluntary agreements only control patio hours, not indoor hours. So it's a bit more complex than "don't go to Dupont, Logan, etc..." Just call the business you're interested in.

MikeB

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:32:27 -0500

Well, it's not like I was playing on spending the whole time at the Raven anyway.

joced

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:46:47 -0500

Here is the posting on the dc.gov site with the list of the 300+ bars, clubs, and restaurants with VAs. So don't plan to go out any later in Dupont, Logan, Mount Pleasant, G-Town, Adams Morgan, H St. NE, U St, 14th St, 8th St SE, and most of Capital Hill, most of Conn Ave and the 19th St., the West End neighborhood, and most other areas of the city were there a bars and restaurants. My opinion, what's the point of introducing this and then amending it if the majority of the popular spots don't even have the option to participate? It seems like a giant waste of time and effort. http://dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=1440&mon=200812

Kriston Capps

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:58:05 -0500

ontarioroader

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:29:57 -0500

I was told that these agreements set hours, music type/volume, etc and that they're not really 'voluntary'. If a neighborhood group wants to have a bar abide by these rules all they need to do is say "sign here & agree by this or we'll make sure ABC/ABRA withholds your liquor license". That's how it was explained to me by several Ward 1 area bar owners commenting on the Mt. Pleasant bars/MPNA fiasco, so they obviously a little cynical - how far from the truth is this?

IMGoph

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:27:46 -0500

voluntary agreements—one of the most orwellian terms in DC governance. there's nothing voluntary about these things. the neighborhood groups figuratively stick a gun to the head of the establishment's owner and say "meet our demands, or we will make sure you are not able to function as a business." it's a shame that, yes, these bars, restaurants, what-have-you should be able to go to the neighborhood and say, "please, could we stay open an hour later for a couple nights," and promise to make sure things stay quiet, etc., but that's basically impossible. there will always be at least one NIMBY that screams "no!"

Wrestler23

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:28:32 -0500

Just because the city/police won't shut the bar down doesn't mean that there won't be legal ramifications if a bar does decide to violate the agreement/contract. The city most likely won't be able to make any "exceptions," as Article I,Sec 10 of the Constitution states that “No state shall...pass any...Law impairing the Obligations of Contracts.” (though I guess you could argue that DC is not a state, but I am sure there is some case out there binding DC to this section of the Constitution.) Typically exceptions only apply to "emergencies," and the legislation needs to be addressed to a legitimate end to protect the over all needs of society, not just a couple of drunks like myself who would like to have a few more oat sodas until 4 am. More importantly, is there any way to find out (other than calling ahead of time) which bars will be closing "early" so we know where NOT to go?

cyrinaldi

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:06:31 -0500

you had me at 1,027 bars.

mommyworks

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:48:34 -0500

NIMBYs are neither visionary nor are they tolerant of others. There is no way that groups like the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Alliance would ever consider any type of exemption to its "voluntary" agreements much to the detriment of the business community in the neighborhood. These agreements are highly contentious and create so much acrimony that they could not be altered in the less than a month to inauguration weekend.

ist full of dollars

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:36:32 -0500

I think I get what you are trying to say there in the third paragraph, but I'm not completely sure. Do you think you could relate it to Yu-Gi-Oh! some how?

Empshel

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:57:21 -0500

These contracts probably contain provisions prohibiting the bars from being open past a certain hour and to they extent the contract provisions provide for exceptions, it's doubtful that any were written with the foresight of an exception written in for the inauguration of the first black president in U.S. history. These contracts, assuming they are valid to begin with, would be just as valid with respect to the inauguration. That being said, as the prior commenter stated, there is nothing preventing the parties from negotiating to amend the contract to add an exception for the inauguration.

CDC

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:57:42 -0500

Would it really be that hard for any of these bars to approach the community groups that they have agreements with and ask for an amendment for that one day? Just because you have a contract doesn't mean you can't make changes to it if both parties agree.