ANC to Adopt Standards For Stores Selling Liquor

From a discussion at the April 8 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6A. Richard Sundberg, 1200 block of Duncan Place NE, a member of the ANC's committee on liquor-related issues, reported to the ANC on the committee's recommendation to adopt a set of standards for all liquor stores in ANC 6A. ANC commissioners then asked questions and made comments.

MR. SUNDBERG: We had a series of three meetings with the community and businesses in the community. The first meeting was for community residents. The second meeting was for residents and business owners in the community, and the third meeting was for the general population again. At that meeting, we made our recommendation. In listening to the people that were there, at both the first residential meeting and the second meeting with business owners, we felt that we should make a recommendation that a standard be established for all businesses, because the community residents thought that that would be a less arduous task than a protest with each individual business. Perhaps Jessica [Ward] can attest to that — she's put a phenomenal amount of effort into these protests. The business owners also indicated a preference for a community standard — some of them — because it would give clarity to what's expected of them. Also, some of them rightly or wrongly feel that they are being singled out for special treatment. Perhaps it's worth noting that at the last meeting, Wes [Grooms], who's on the committee also, lamented the lack of community participation, as far as community residents, at the meetings. The first meeting was very well attended by community residents. At the second, there were less, and at the third meeting, we had the full committee, and I think we had two people from the community there. That was despite advertising in the various sources that we have.

ANC 6A06 COMMISSIONER JESSICA WARD: This is the minimum standard. It can be changed. It's just a clarification for a minimum standard on a voluntary agreement with merchants.

MR. SUNDBERG. And perhaps it should be stressed for the record that no standard is yet being considered. We're gong to have another series of meetings to determine what that minimum standard is, that the merchants must adhere to.

COMMISSIONER WARD: To clarify, you have had how many merchants come to these meetings, that have been publicly announced?

MR. SUNDBERG: At the second meeting, that was specifically for the merchants, we had I believe a total of six merchants. The last meeting, where both merchants and residents were invited, we had one merchant.

ANC 6A03 COMMISSIONER CODY RICE: My understanding is that by agreeing to this, we would be saying that every establishment should have a voluntary agreement that includes some minimum steps that will be determined in these next meetings. Currently in our ANC not every establishment has a voluntary agreement. To me it seems like a good idea. I know that when I went to the Class B establishment that's in my single-member district, there was again this concern — "Are you doing this for everybody or is this just for me? Are you singling me out? Is what's gonna be in my agreement the same as what's gonna be in somebody else's? Is mine gonna be more restrictive and gonna hurt my business versus somebody else's?" — so I think it's a good idea to have this community discussion of what a minimum standard should be. I'm glad we've scheduled meetings to have that.

ANC 6A04 COMMISSIONER NICK ALBERTI: I want to stress to everybody that if in fact we adopt this and come up with community standards, our first go-around — the first set of renewals that we face — it's gonna be a really arduous task. Because there will be resistance from some owners to adopt a voluntary agreement. And the only clout we have with making ourselves credible is to follow through with all of the hearings and ultimately a protest hearing, if it comes to that — to enforce the issue — that we mean business, that we really want everyone to have this voluntary agreement, we're willing to stand behind it and commit the time to go make our case before the ABC Board. So I just want to point out that the first go-around is going to be a really rough year for us, and it's going to require a big commitment on I think everyone's time.

ANC 6A02 COMMISSIONER JOSEPH FENGLER: I attended both the first public meeting and the second meeting with the merchants, and one of the things that really jumped out at me was — almost all of the merchants said, without fail, if we all have the same rules, we could live with that. If we all knew what the rules were, and abide by them, and everyone had to play by the same field, that would work. They weren't jumping for joy — they weren't raising their hand and leading the charge, but they weren't running in the other direction. That's a huge, huge thing — that they weren't running in the other direction. And I can't underscore enough that in my single-member district, we have a lot of challenges that goes with having establishments that primarily just sell singles and primarily just sell alcohol. Whatever the community standard's gonna be, having something is gonna help level the playing field. So I am in support of this. I think we sorely need it. Having a minimum standard that we can fall back on will strengthen our case not only with the city but with the actual Class As and Class Bs.

COMMISSIONER WARD: I think this is fantastic. A minimum standard voluntary agreement provides a level playing field for the merchants. It should be looked at as a tool to use for knowledge and education, and it's not to put someone out of business. It's used as a positive aspect, to let everybody know and highlight what is already law. At least 80 percent of what's in the voluntary agreements are already on the books — it's just that no one goes through that big book, to know exactly everything that's going on. And it just highlights the issues of the community, and I think it's just a great tool to let everybody know what is expected and what isn't expected for a safe environment.

ANC 6A05 COMMISSIONER MICHAEL MUSANTE: My opinions, before I became an ANC Commissioner, were very pro-business, and I'm still very pro-business. However for years you had in this city what seems to be — and maybe this is just my opinion — a rampant release of licenses to everybody and anybody, and now, as we try to fix our neighborhoods, as Jessica Ward said, this is just a chance for some businesses to step up and say, "I'm more than willing to be a good neighbor. Work with me." We're just extending a hand of friendship.

COMMISSIONER FENGLER: The next series of meetings are scheduled. May 4 will be the community meeting. On May 18, will be the neighborhood associations, community groups and store owners, and District officials. And on June 1, the committee will formulate their recommendation, that we will then entertain at our June 10 meeting.

After this discussion, the ANC adopted the committee recommendation to establish a set of community standards for stores selling liquor, and to hold a second series of meetings to determine what those standards should be. Commissioner Wanda Harris voted against adopting the committee recommendation, and Commissioner Gladys Mack abstained. §