Many neighbors have written to me or spoken to me in the last several weeks, worried about Council President Rawlings-Blake’s legislation expanding the zoning districts within which live entertainment would be possible. I share many of their concerns.
The Council President’s bill as originally drafted created a licensing overlay – not dissimilar from the way liquor establishments are regulated – that would have tied the permissions for live entertainment to the operator, not the property. The original bill, which I co-sponsored, also provided for gradations that would distinguish between various levels of live entertainment, allowing communities greater ability to distinguish between proposed live entertainment requests.
Unfortunately, the Council amended the bill at the Council’s meeting on July 13th to remove the licensing provisions, and instead replaced them with additional zoning districts within which bar and restaurant owners could request live entertainment. In our district, most of the York Road corridor would qualify for such requests, as would the Alameda shopping center, the Belvedere Gardens shopping center on Hillen Road, and the Loch Raven shopping center on Northern Parkway.
I voted against those amendments (along with Councilman Kraft, Councilman D’Adamo, Councilwoman Holton, Councilman Cole, and Councilwoman Clarke) and against the bill as amended, but eight other members – the bare minimum needed for passage – supported the expanded zoning approach. The Council President agreed to hold the bill on third reader at our meeting on August 10th and not push for final passage until after companion legislation – which she has assured us will relieve many of our concerns – can be passed as well.
The Council President’s bill as originally drafted created a licensing overlay – not dissimilar from the way liquor establishments are regulated – that would have tied the permissions for live entertainment to the operator, not the property. The original bill, which I co-sponsored, also provided for gradations that would distinguish between various levels of live entertainment, allowing communities greater ability to distinguish between proposed live entertainment requests.
Unfortunately, the Council amended the bill at the Council’s meeting on July 13th to remove the licensing provisions, and instead replaced them with additional zoning districts within which bar and restaurant owners could request live entertainment. In our district, most of the York Road corridor would qualify for such requests, as would the Alameda shopping center, the Belvedere Gardens shopping center on Hillen Road, and the Loch Raven shopping center on Northern Parkway.
I voted against those amendments (along with Councilman Kraft, Councilman D’Adamo, Councilwoman Holton, Councilman Cole, and Councilwoman Clarke) and against the bill as amended, but eight other members – the bare minimum needed for passage – supported the expanded zoning approach. The Council President agreed to hold the bill on third reader at our meeting on August 10th and not push for final passage until after companion legislation – which she has assured us will relieve many of our concerns – can be passed as well.
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