Currently, businesses are allowed to set business operating hours unregulated if alcohol is not served. This policy oversight has created a loophole that has allowed businesses in Georgetown and across the D.C. area to remain open between 1 - 4 a.m. even though located in dense residential areas.

The pandemic has clearly showed our community that late night hours are a magnet for late night congregation on 28th and the surrounding residential area. This late night congregation has significantly reduced the quality of life, peace, order and quiet of our community.

Residents of 28th Street NW and surrounding streets (including Olive, 27th, N and Dumbarton) are subjected to late night noise, loitering, increased traffic, speeding vehicles, increased crime and litter created by individuals patronizing between 1 - 4 a.m.

Late night customers often exhibit loud disruptive behavior at all hours of the night as they park on residential streets, eat in the neighborhood and in their cars while listening to loud music. These community disturbances are in direct correlation to late night hours of operation past 1 a.m.

Residents are suffering from noise disturbances, disruptive sleep leading to sleep deprivation, destruction of property, increased crime (petty and violent), increased trash and rats. Attempts have been made to resolve the late night conduct and crime issues by hiring private security. A guard is posted in front of the establishment at certain hours, but it has not lessened the late night disruptions nor the need for police intervention.

The Coalition asks that Mayor Muriel Bowser, Brooke Pinto, Council Member Ward 2, the DC Council, DC BID, OAG, Gwendolyn Lohse, Commissioner ANC 2E06, and CAG continue to work together to revise the policy loophole allowing any/all restaurant businesses without liquor licenses to extend hours late night without oversight nor impact studies on surrounding residences.

Closing the loophole would also stop any future businesses in Georgetown and across D.C. from establishing late night business hours without assessing the wider impact on the community. Legislation is needed to provide more oversight and legal recourse for communities impacted by late night business operation.  We need a fair and balanced legislative solution now.

The Coalition is requesting that current and future businesses located on 28th and M Streets NW close at 1 a.m. This legislative change would require businesses set operating hours consistent with all other restuarant businesses in the vicinity.

The 28th Street NW corridor resident's collective well-being and security should be protected under Washington DC laws and policies governing excessive noise and safe business practices in dense residential areas. To learn more, please click here.

For more information, please visit the Coalition's website at https://sites.google.com/save28street.org/save28thstreetnw/home