Final decision on Tiki Barge liquor license to come April 28; Tiki officially opens today
Thursday's hearing on the Tiki Barge was even more anti-climactic than the first on March 3.
That's when some neighbors of the bar asked that its license be revoked. The Liquor Board punted on a decision then and asked the involved parties to come to an agreement on their own.
That hasn't happened yet. If they haven't by April 28's liquor board meeting, the board would be forced to make a decision itself, chairman Stephan Fogleman said.
The hearing Thursday was instead to discuss a protest to prevent the barge's license from being renewed for 2011, a petition another neighbor had filed separately from the earlier petition to revoke.
Because the license was already being discussed in terms of a revocation, the board dismissed that protest on the principle of collateral estoppel, Fogleman said.
In other words, the board had already heard arguments for and against the bar on March 3 on the petition to revoke, so that holding a separate hearing on the license's renewal would be redundant.
The next Tiki Barge hearing is scheduled to be held April 28, when if supporters and critics haven't come to a detente, the board would make the final decision on the bar's 2011 license.
The hearing has been set for the 28th because the bar's 2010 liquor license expires April 30 at midnight.
That also means that the Tiki Barge can open today, as it has already planned, and stay open until the 30th if it's license isn't renewed, and for another year if it is.
Fogleman said the hearing Thursday was less crowded than the first. Instead of Matthew Klaiber, who spoke for the critics of the Tiki Barge last time, the point person was Marie Washington.
Washington had complained at the last meeting about the bar's patrons idling outside her house.
"My problem is that it creates a safety issue for me," she said. She added that noise is also a problem: "I've been woken up by individuals on weekends late night who are intruding into my ability to enjoy my own home," she said last time.
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
I know it's not hip to say, but this place just needs to close.
It's an outdoor bar that is set up very close to residential area and obviously has an impact. The old standby of "if you don't want to live near a bar, don't move near a bar" argument that gets tossed around doesn't fly here either, since the bar was opened after the condo building was there.
There's a huge difference between this and people who live near Cross Street complaining about loud people leaving bars. This bar, just by being open, causes issues. Liquor Board needs to just man up and take the action that needs to be taken.
And no, I don't live in the affected condos or know anyone who does.
Posted by: Buzz Killington | April 15, 2011 2:50 PM
This whole debate is ridiculous. The Tiki Barge is great spot for the locals to enjoy the harbor without having to deal with all the tourists. We're talking about an area in the inner harbor, not Pikesville or another suburbs. If you live downtown, you can't expect to hear a pin drop every night. The people of harborview sound like a bunch of stuck up old hags!
Posted by: Jeremy | April 15, 2011 3:33 PM
The complainers are such a small minority that I am surprised that there is even a debate. Jeremy I agree with your post (except for the name calling). We must always remain civil.
That being said, please Mr. Liquor Board, do not let the Puritans win. I think the solution is to ban anyone from frequenting the Tiki Barge except during normal Tiki Barge business hours.
Posted by: JJ | April 15, 2011 6:47 PM
The majority of the bars in the city are near residential areas. The issues are what? Safety? Have you seen the crowd that attends tiki bar? That's perhaps the safest drinking crowd you'll meet in the city.
Noise? That is a factor, but it is similar to every other bar's problems. It's not the bar owner making the noise, it's the patrons. The barge is at the end of a long dock and the place closes at Midnight. So people are talking about transient noise.
In reality, Little Havana is closer to Harborview than Tiki Barge is. I wonder if they are trying to close that too?
Just in case the prior submission fails
Posted by: taser54 | April 26, 2011 8:10 PM
i have been to this tiki and never seen any problems actually it was quite nice and it is very far down the marina .
Posted by: john | April 27, 2011 10:25 PM
Thanks for the update Sam.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/bs-ae-tiki-barge-0429-20110428,0,317223.story
Posted by: Roger | April 28, 2011 7:36 PM