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Showing posts with label Lotus Lounge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lotus Lounge. Show all posts

Friday, December 13, 2013

December Liquor License Roundup - ANC2F

It's nearly the end of liquor license renewal season. Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2F/Logan Circle had a handful of liquor license renewals, as well as some other liquor license related business, at its last meeting, held on December 4.

Tortilla Coast (1460 P Street NW) has been in business for well over a year. Its current closing hours are 10pm from Sunday to Thursday, and midnight Friday and Saturday. At the meeting, commissioners reported on ANC2F's original agreement with Tortilla Coast. This agreement stipulated, if Tortilla Coast was open for business for a while without any liquor license related problems or conflicts with the neighbors, it would be granted permission for longer hours.

Commissioner Walt Cain (district 02) reported no complaints against Tortilla Coast.

The ANC passed unanimously a resolution which will allow Tortilla Coast to stay open until 1am Monday to Thursday and 2am Friday to Sunday, which is consistent with other liquor-serving business in the neighborhood.

ANC2F also unanimously approved a settlement agreement it had negotiated with Glass House Coffee (1333 14th Street), a "high-end coffee shop with evening cocktails". Commissioners called the agreement "non-controversial". The outdoor space would be open until 1am Sunday to Thursday, and 2am Friday and Saturday. Read the September 20 SALM blog post for more about Glass House Coffee.

A settlement agreement is a document negotiated between a liquor-serving business, the ANC, and possibly other parties. It deals with an establishment's opening hours, trash removal, pest control, valet parking, and other aspects of a business that might impact the community.

The Ghana Cafe (1336 14th Street) was back again in front of ANC2F. A group of five is protesting Ghana Cafe's attempt to modify its liquor license (see October 10 SALM blog post). There had recently been a mediation hearing. The ANC voted to direct this matter back to its liquor licensing affairs committee for further consideration. The committee is next scheduled to meet on December 18, 7pm, in the second floor multipurpose room at N Street Village (1135 N Street). See an agenda here.

ANC2F also voted to support the recommendation of its liquor licensing affairs committee to support the liquor license renewal for A n D (1314 9th Street) and Black Whiskey (1410 14th Street).

It decided to take no action in the case of Lotus Lounge (1420 K Street). As reported November 22, an attorney for an abutting office building is protesting the application of Lotus Lounge to renew its license. The attorney seeks a settlement agreement with Lotus Lounge. ANC2F is not part of the protest.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Neighbor to Protest Liquor License Renewal of Lotus Lounge

Lotus Lounge (1420 K Street NW) will have its liquor license renewal protested by an abutting property owner, according to information was made public at the November 20 meeting of the liquor-licensing affairs committee of Advisory Neighborhood Committee (ANC) 2F/Logan Circle.

The protest will be brought by 1400 K Co., LLC, owners of the office building on the southwest corner of 14th and K Streets. 1400 K Co. seeks to have Lotus Lounge enter into a settlement agreement similar to the one 1400 K Co. has with another neighbor, The Park at 14th nightclub (920 14th Street).

The ongoing three-cornered struggle between ANC2F, 1400 K Co., and The Park at 14th nightclub has been the subject of previous SALM blog posts, most recently on November 14.

However, ANC2F will not join in the protest against Lotus Lounge. The deadline to petition D.C.'s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) for standing in this case is December 2, but ANC2F would not have an opportunity to vote until its meeting of December 4. The liquor-licensing affairs committee decided to take no action on the case, and it will not seek to enter into a settlement agreement with Lotus Lounge.

Attorney wants agreements with two nightclubs

Attorney John Patrick Brown of the law firm of Greenstein DeLorme & Luchs is representing 1400 K Co. in both cases. At the November 20 meeting, he told the liquor-licensing affairs committee his client would sign the letter of protest against Lotus Lounge the following day. A protest will provide leverage in agreement negotiations.

"I have not communicated with Lotus," Brown said of the letter of protest.

Brown said Lotus Lounge, like The Park at 14th, had a "rich investigative history". In the case of the Lotus Lounge, this included brawling, shootings, and assaults on police officers.

Public documents indicate the Lotus Lounge was fined $4000 and required to suspend business for six days in June 2012 for "failure to have police detail".

A WUSA9 report (video available here) details a history of violent activity connected to the club, including the June 2011 case where a District Heights man was so severely beaten by off-duty D.C. police officers working as security for the nightclub that he lost an eye. Four D.C. police officers were indicted in June 2012 for assault, conspiracy, and perjury in connection with this incident, according to a Washington Post report.

Brown also noted that, although Lotus Lounge's official capacity is 239, its web site says the club's capacity is 400.

Brown said his client wouldn't mind if ANC2F delayed the process in order to join in. But when the committee did not express enthusiasm, Brown did not pursue the matter. 

"At the end of the day, the goal for my client is a voluntary agreement like The Park at 14th," Brown said.

A settlement agreement is sometimes entered into by liquor-serving establishments, ANCs, and third parties to codify arrangement concerning opening hours, trash pickup, valet parking, and other matters which may impact the public.