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Dupont Circle Neighborhood NEWS |
Lauren Residents Resist Local Liquor License Change
RE: Kozy Korner Liquor License….MAJOR changes
by Mike Silverstein - Unit 705 and David Lilling - Unit 203
October 28, 2003
On October 8th, ANC commissioner Vince Micone convened a meeting of ANC 2b06 residents on the status of the request by the owner of the Kozy Korner to change the terms of their liquor license.
During this meeting Mr. Walid Issa provided a overview of his request. His explanation varied considerably from his attorney's presentation at the September ANC meeting.
At the October meeting, Mr. Issa's attorney stated that the nature of the Kozy Korner request was to remain open continuously from Friday night thru Sunday night. The longer hours, as it was originally explained, were to serve food, and there would be no increase in liquor hours. They currently extend from 7am to 10pm daily. But at this meeting,
Mr. Issa clarified his intention to be permitted to serve alcohol until 3am and to stay open around the clock on weekends.
An important concern related to this is that liquor licenses are transferable. Even though there may have been no problems so far with late night noise and rowdiness from the Kozy Korner, we would be powerless to stop the sale and transfer of the liquor license to another owner who might exploit it.
The ANC (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) has already voted to protest the change in application by the Kozy Korner. The ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) board will make the final decision in this matter.
The ABC board has ordered a mediation session, when the applicant and neighbors will formally meet to see if an agreement can be reached. This session is tentatively scheduled for November 14th. It is imperative that representatives of the Lauren be present at the mediation session or the ANC Board will presume that there is not strong feeling about this issue.
Residents of the Lauren told the ANC that while they are willing to discuss changes in opening and closing hours with Mr. Issa, they strongly oppose extension of liquor hours and continuous weekend operations.
This is a serious quality of life issue for Lauren and neighborhood residents. We have had unpleasant experiences in the past with customers from certain no longer extant neighborhood late night bars creating noise, selling drugs, destroying property, damaging cars in our parking lot, urinating around the building, and behaving rowdily. We do not want this to happen again. Please contact one of us if you would like to participate in the mediation session.
Feel free to leave a written note at the front desk or call us…..
Mike Silverstein - Unit 705
David Lilling - Unit 203