Petition in Opposition to large Beer Garden at 1322 9th Street NW (for ABRA hearing 9 Dec 2015)

Dear Neighbor (apologies

to any non-neighbors on this list) :

We represent a group of

residents who are deeply concerned with a recent application for liquor license

at 1322 9th St. The applicants want to operate an all day,

386-person outdoor drinking space (described as a “beer garden” but it would

not be restricted to beer) on this vacant lot that backs up into the historic

Naylor Court alley. While the neighborhood has supported the revitalization of

9th St as a dining and entertainment destination, allowing an open

air drinking establishment of this size would be dramatically damaging and

irresponsible.

We have filed a protest

with ABRA and, along with our ANC representatives and adjoining property

owners, we will appear before ABRA on December 9 at 1:30 for a protest hearing

to have our voices heard and present evidence to show how the proposed

establishment will negatively impact the neighborhood’s right for quiet and

peaceful enjoyment, property values, safety and parking. 

We are reaching out to you for your support in filling out the

attached form to petition ABRA to deny this application based on the overwhelming potential negative impacts on our

community. In order to make a stronger case, we urge you to answer a few survey

questions that will provide the board with more specific concerns of our

community. 

In addition, if you want

to bring a unique perspective to the hearing, you can provide personal

testimony or a written statement/affidavit of objection that will be used as

evidence in the case (please contact evin Batteh at kbatteh@gmail.com/202.321.9311 or Paul Harrison at fifthandq@yahoo.com/202-270-5727 no later than Tuesday 12/1).

This is an open hearing

and will go on for several hours so if you are able, please appear in person at

the protest hearing (Wednesday 12/9, 4th

Floor, 2000 14th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20009)

Please come by 932 O Street anytime between 3–6 p.m. on Sunday

11/29 to drop off your petition, ask questions, hear more about the case, and

mingle with neighbors.

BACKGROUND

Applicants. The applicants, under

the company name Naylor Stables LLC (trade name TBD), have applied for a tavern

liquor license for an outdoor beer garden on 1322 9th St NW. They currently own

and operate two establishments on 14th street: Garden District, a

150 person outdoor beer garden and Etto, a gourmet pizza restaurant and outdoor

café. 

Location. The proposed location is an open lot measuring ~7,000 sq. ft.

with a ~500 sq. ft. building that stands on the alley. It is within the Blagden

Alley-Naylor Court Historic District and Naylor Court is on the National

Register of Historic Places. It is one of only two “H-style” interior alley

complexes remaining in the District, and is unique because of its primarily

residential and live-work space uses. Many of the residences have bedroom

windows directly on the alley with no yard to buffer them from noise. Several

of the alley residents have children under three.  

Proposed Operation. The application states seating inside for 8, sidewalk café

seating 16, summer garden space for 333 and a total occupancy of 386. We know

very little about their plans because they did not file architectural drawings

and operational details (security plan, traffic plan, etc.) with their

application. Despite several requests for more information, they have not

engaged with the community until recently after ABRA-required mediation. At the

recent ANC Alcohol Policy Committee meeting applicants explained that their

updated plans would use the structure onsite for food preparation and eight

bathrooms, appearing to mean that all customers would be in the open air. Trash

will be contained onsite and trash collection will occur through the emergency

exit in the alley. They will try to limit deliveries to 9th street

but there is no mention of this in their application.

As recent experience with Dacha has shown, once

allowed this use is liable to grow even larger. This site is three times larger

than Dacha and four times larger than Garden District, so if equivalent

densities were approved this site could hold over 700 people.  And, as

experience with Be Bar, then Mood Lounge, now Vida Lounge shows, assurances about

any particular operator can turn to dust when an operator sells the

establishment to another.

Best,

Paul & Kevin (representing protesting group

of 13 plus several others who have subsequently joined)