-
Council of the District of Columbia
Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs,
Notice of a Public Hearing
John A. Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 119 Washington, DC 20004
Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr., Chair
Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs
Announces a Public Hearing
on
- B21-196, the “Nightlife Regulation Amendment Act of 2015”
Monday, October 26, 2015, 10:00 A.M.
John A. Wilson Building, Room 412
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr., announces the scheduling of a public hearing by the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs, on B21-196, the “Nightlife Regulation Amendment Act of 2015”. The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004.
B21-196, the “Nightlife Regulation Amendment Act of 2015”, as introduced, would require establishments holding C/R, C/N, C/T and D/R, D/N, D/T liquor licenses to measure the noise levels coming from their establishments with a decibel meter approved by the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (“ABRA”) every day they are open from the hours of 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. in order to ensure that these establishments are conforming to the District’s noise restrictions. The bill will require establishments to report their actual noise readings to ABRA on a weekly basis. The Committee previously had a hearing on this measure on July 9, 2015.
After receiving feedback from residents and establishments alike, the Committee worked with ABRA and substantially revised B21-196. The purpose of this hearing is to get testimony on the revised version of B21-196. The modified version of B21-196, would establish a new plainly audible noise standard with specific measurement requirements for on-premises licensed retailers. An ABRA investigator would be able to verify a noise violation without entering a residence. The bill would provide noise protections for commercial areas; in addition, to preserving noise protections for residential areas. This revised bill would prohibit entertainment or the playing of recorded music on an unenclosed outdoor summer garden or sidewalk café after midnight during any day of the week.
Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to testify at the public hearing are asked to contact Faye Caldwell of the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs at (202) 727-6683 or by email at fcaldwell@dccouncil.us and provide their name(s), address, telephone number, email address and organizational affiliation, if any, by close of business Friday, October 23, 2015. Each witness is requested to bring 20 copies of his/her written testimony. Representatives of organizations and government agencies will be limited to 5 minutes in order to permit each witness an opportunity to be heard. Individual witnesses will be limited to 3 minutes.
If you are unable to testify at the public hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. The official record will remain open until close of business Monday, November 9, 2015. Copies of written statements should be submitted to the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 119 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004.
