Liquor License Moratorium Said to End by Spring

The Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission is set to vote on the fate of the Georgetown liquor license moratorium, in effect since 1989 and due to expire Feb. 3, 2016. The Georgetown ban is the last active moratorium in the District.

After deciding not to take up the issue at a prior meeting, the ANC is expected to agree to vote at its Jan. 4 meeting to let the ban expire by spring, according to a source close to the negotiations. The meeting will be held at Georgetown Visitation Prep, 1524 35th St. NW at Volta Place.

Two months ago, the Georgetown Business Improvement District gave its official support to ending the moratorium. Weeks later, the Citizens Association of Georgetown agreed in principle. The next step is for the three groups to discuss matters of implementation with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, possibly at the board’s February meeting.

In the meantime, the BID produced a “Georgetown Settlement Agreement Template,” a document that applicants for a liquor license would enter into voluntarily, imposing more stringent restrictions on hours of operation, noise levels, trash removal and so on than those otherwise in effect.

While in favor of ending the moratorium, the Georgetown Business Association released a statement that does not support either an extension on the moratorium or a standard agreement that goes beyond citywide regulations: “The Georgetown Business Association opposes the liquor moratorium and we don’t believe the extension is necessary. We rely on the clout of the ANC to review applications for permits and to use discretion on settlement agreements.”

Negotiations to arrive at a document on which the BID, the ANC and CAG (if not the GBA) can agree are ongoing. The BID and CAG are expected to vote up or down on the final version on Jan. 21.

At press time, The Georgetowner learned that the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board reviewed and approved a resolution from ANC 2E to extend the moratorium 60 days beyond its expiration of February 3, 2015. The moratorium is now set to expire on April 3, 2015.