LDNA Summary, 5/24/10

On Monday night, CM Bernie Lynch spoke to a packed house at Caffe Paradiso about the proposal to bring Inspectional Services and Permits under one roof (that of the Deputy Director of the Dept. of Planning and Development).

The proposal, he said, would bring more effective code enforcement, more accountability, and better "across-the-board communication."

Several questions arose about how this would affect the License Commission. Because the License Commission stands apart statutorily, it would not be affected by the proposed merger.

Some very spirited debate about the License Commission followed. A near-universal sentiment was expressed that the LC's meeting time (3 p.m. on Thursdays, with an agenda put out mid-Morning) made attendance near-impossible for most residents with commitments during the traditional workday.

CM Lynch talked about the need for the LC to more aggressively move against rule violators, which drew CC Bud Caulfield to draw on personal anecdotes about noise and other infractions and to emphasize the point that, "If the law is in place, damn it all, enforce it!"

The most innovative proposal came from LDNA President Kathleen Marcin, who suggested half-jokingly (okay, quarter-jokingly) that if the bars could just stay open until 6 a.m., there would be no "last call rush" and therefore fewer issues of excessive noise and disorderliness in the streets around 2 a.m.