D.C. Council Roundup: Clubs and Development

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ENTERTAINMENT VENUES and agencies that receive public money were among the topics covered during Tuesday's D.C. Council meeting. Here are the highlights:

» STRIP CLUBS CAN RELOCATE: The council passed compromise legislation that allows adult entertainment venues dislodged by the construction of the Washington Nationals' South Capitol Street ballpark to relocate elsewhere in the city. But there's a catch: Only two clubs will be allowed to resettle in any one ward, essentially ruling out the possibility of a red-light district in Ward 5, where many of the clubs had intended to set up shop. The decision was a partial victory for the legislation's champion, Ward 1's Jim Graham, pictured at left.

» MINORS IN NIGHTCLUBS BILL TABLED: Graham's other controversial legislation, the Taleshia Ford Memorial Amendment Act of 2007, was tabled for revision in committee. That bill, as originally drafted, would bar unaccompanied minors from patronizing clubs and other entertainment venues that serve alcohol.

» DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES DROPPED: In a sign of increasing mayoral control, the D.C. Council voted to abolish two quasi-independent development agencies, the Anacostia Waterfront Corp. and the National Capitol Revitalization Corp., which have been criticized by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty as ineffective. Fenty thinks he can better steer development with direct control. But not everyone agrees. "I'm becoming more and more concerned about what we are putting on our plate," At-Large council member Carol Schwartz said, according to The Post.

» HISTORICAL SOCIETY KEEPS FUNDING: Supporters of the Historical Society of Washington should be smiling. An effort by Ward 8 council member Marion Barry to strip the group of $500,000 in city funds was stopped.

» "Council Passes Amended Bill on Nude Clubs" [WaPo]
» "Ford Bill Tabled" [City Desk/City Paper]
» "Council Votes to Close 2 Waterfront Agencies" [WaPo]

Photo by Kevin Clark/The Washington Post