The Walmart located at 310 Riggs Road NE is trying for a second time to get a license to sell beer and wine. The placard notifying the public of the store’s application for a Class B license with tasting permit was posted on October 25, 2019. The protest period ends December 9, 2019.

Recall from this post, we started going through this exercise last year. The ANC commissioner at that time held community meetings and ultimately decided to pursue a protest with the goal of getting a voluntary settlement agreement with the store. Walmart still needed to resolve a legal question about a regulatory provision requiring evidence of a certain amount of renovations at the store. It appears Walmart requested an advisory opinion on the matter from the Board, which it received in October 2018. Now that all of that is cleared up, Walmart is back to try again. There is now a different commissioner for that area, ANC Commissioner LaRoya Huff (4B09). It is unclear if the ANC will again pursue a protest in order to obtain a settlement agreement.

When I served as president of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA), I registered the organization with ABRA so that it would have its own standing and not necessarily have to rely on the ANC in ABRA license matters. So theoretically, LRCA could seek its own settlement agreement with the store if the organization meets certain requirements. Unclear if LRCA leadership plans to do anything. This issue might be discussed at LRCA’s meeting on November 4.

If you care about this issue, feel free to reach out to Commissioner Huff to let her know your views.