ANC 4a Meeting

WASHINGTON-The ANC 4a meeting was held Tuesday, March 2 to discuss the possibility of a pawn shop relocating into the area as well as the possibility of a restaurant on Georgia avenue creating a new voluntary agreement.

The residents of ward 4a were concerned a pawn shop in the area would cause crime rates to spike in the neighborhood and attract the wrong types of people, Sara Green, ANC Advisory neighborhood commissioner for 4b, said.

“We’re across the street, we effect each other,” Green said. “We had two issues tonight where we were working with 4a. One of them was the pawn shop,” Georgia avenue is the divider between 4a and 4b, Green said.

Despite the concern of neighbors in both 4a and 4b, Sgt. Kimberly Missouri does not see a correlation between crime and pawn shops. “I cant equate a pawn shop to crime in the district,” she said. “I can’t say that if a pawnshop goes to a location that crime will increase.”

Dwayne Tolliver, 4a ANC advisory commissioner, wants to work to prohibit pawn shops from 4a with an overlay. An overlay can be put in place if ANC 4a moves quick enough, he said. It would prevent any pawn shop from opening up in the area.

In order to enact an overlay would require the assistance of the council members office. The overlay would extend to Shepherd Park. Tolliver is relying on the extensive requirements needed to build a pawn shop in the area to give ANC 4a more time to create an overlay.

“Certain requirements that have to be met for the pawn shop to come into existence,” Tolliver said.

A pawn shop is not the only business 4a is concerned about. An Ethiopian restaurant, the Nile, has been negotiating with the ANC to contract favorable business hours and entertainment.

“The reason they asked for changes is because they are in steep competition,” Tolliver said. The Nile Market has been on Georgia avenue for eight years, according to Green.

“The Nile market is in my single member district, and both [4]a and [4]b are going to do a voluntary agreement,” Green said. “There [the city’s] system is to do a voluntary agreement where you enter into a contract with an alcohol establishment to restrict certain things.” 4a has already negotiated operation hours, entertainment, and when alcohol can be served, Tolliver said.

4a is concerned that other establishments will want to change their voluntary agreements to include longer operating hours and live entertainment. The commission has made an exception for the Nile Market because they are 200ft away from homes, Tolliver said.

Tolliver and Green both agreed to add a clause pertaining to the uniqueness of the Nile Market’s location to deter other establishments from extending operating hours, entertainment, and when alcohol can be served.

4a has agreed to allow the Nile Market to stay open longer and have entertainment as long as it does not exceed 600 decimals. The commission unanimously agreed to the new voluntary agreement.