The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
To gain more oversight of Waterside nightspots, the city plans to revoke the current, broad ordinance that allows them to operate and instead require them to re-apply for individual ones.
Waterside has been under scrutiny since one man was fatally shot and another wounded after a fender bender last month in the parking garage across the street. Police reported that in the year before the shooting, they had received 258 calls for service from Waterside and 74 more for the parking deck.
Waterside establishments now operate under an umbrella permission that applies to all tenants serving alcohol. The arrangement started in 1982, when Waterside opened.
City Attorney Bernard A. Pishko told the City Council on Tuesday that his office is working to end that permission, known as a special exception, and instead have club owners apply for individual special exceptions setting forth what activities are allowed and are not allowed.
The change would be coordinated so there's a seamless transition and that no nightspots would be forced to close because of a gap in permitting, Pishko said.
Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot said the move will make Waterside nightclubs more accountable by requiring them to go through the same process required of all other bars and restaurants in Norfolk.
"We want everyone to play by the same rules," he said after the meeting.
Burfoot said the Waterside nightclubs have been treated differently because the building is owned by the city.
"If it were any other establishment, we may have been a little more forceful" in monitoring activities there, he said.
The Virginian-Pilot was unable to reach the Waterside nightclubs for comment late Tuesday.
Special exceptions are granted by the City Council and set operating parameters such as business hours, crowd capacity and whether dancing or live music is allowed.
In 2007, the city revoked Granby Theater's special exception allowing alcohol sales, after a shooting inside. Four months later, the council approved a more restrictive ordinance for Granby Theater that allowed it to reopen with shorter hours, smaller crowds and greater security.
Pishko said it's too early in the process to know what changes, if any, may be in store for individual clubs.
He said the new special exceptions will include "activity-specific provisions" that could encompass things such as dancing on tables.
The matter will come before the council for action in four to six weeks.
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ellipsoid--
Country bars are typically actually very civilized. There might be a few drunks, but people are there to have fun socializing, dancing, or listening to music. Customers tend to keep each other in check if things get out of hand. I've been to Waterside twice at night, and it was disgusting both times. Too many people pushing the edge to see what they could get away with, screaming, hollering, shoving, nasty language. Never again. I wish they would flatten the place and put in something like Faneuil Hall or Pike's Place Market.
Waterside Issues and The Race Comment
The City council never seems to be able to get it right as of late. Once again they created a situation and now want to show they are on top of things just to get a vote. Epllsoid answer this, what does race have to do with waterside? You must be the type of person that plays a race card for every failure in your life. I assume thats your excuse for the world you live in. Country music wow. Thats the root of all problems whites and country music. I would sure like to know how long did you think about this before you came up with that intellegent conclusion. In case you have not looked out the window sparky there are more and more bi racial people in the world today sport. Oh my there maybe a honky or other in the wood pile. Give the race card a rest its old and out dated. Now about waterside, the city had the choice of what kind of business license to give to the bars downtown and took the easy way once again looking at tax revenue. Now, instead of doing it the right way from the beggining you created this haven for gang bangers from the hood and else where to set up shop downtown. You have all these expensive condos and luxury apartments and what do you have in the vacinity? You h
Ellipsoid - community
Ellipsoid - community doesn't fear the country bar. If there is a disagreement, then fists go flying (like in the movies, I suppose). At the black night club, when there is a disagreement, bullets go flying (like in the news). Country music has people crying in their beer over girls and people line dancing, hiphop has people shooting every one for every reason. Past 94-95 most of the mainstream stuff is pretty full of hate (and I follow hiphop a little bit, I could fill 8 of these posts with examples.) Sorry but it's the way it is. If it's an upscale black venue I don't think there would be issues. No one cared about Waterside until there was violence. Hmm, turn waterside into a small market with a pre-set cap on rents, and pre-set cap on size of business? Kind of artsy market? Plus farmers market to compete with Farm Fresh?
Yawn...
I'm sure the 'oversight' of the Norfolk City Council and any other local govt agencies they can bring to bear will make these establishments run better! Govt always makes things better, right?
revitalize Waterside
get rid of the bars, get rid of the dollar store, get rid of the cheap and flimsy excuses for 'entertainment'. Go back to what it was supposed to be...what it was for a couple of years before very poor mismanagement drove it into the ground where it sits today.
I worked there for a couple of years and it was a truly wonderful experience...until the management drove the small business folks out and away.
Look at Vancouver's Johnsons Island market, and at ANY other water based tourist market. There's a literal gold mine...for the right thinkers...and the right kind of merchants...like we used to have.
But instead...we have greed and avarice out of control, mismanagement and then the 'fix'...turn it into one big party room where people get shot over a fender bender?
If Norfolk wants to enter into the 'big leagues'...it needs to stop acting and politicking like it a feudal serfdom.
definitely...
I agree. BULLDOZER.
I've lived in Portsmouth,
I've lived in Portsmouth, too. You are welcome to stay there!
Norfolk owns waterside?
I was surprised to read that Norfolk admits that Waterside is Norfolk City property. I remember reading a short time ago that Norfolk denied this when a citizen was arrested for wearing a gun in the Waterside establishment. They only tell the truth when it is convenient for them. I hope that citizen uses this article when he sues Norfolk in Federal court and they have to pay a settlement for the second time in a year.
None
so blind as those who will not see. Portsmouth happens to have a much prettier waterfront than Norfolk. As far as violent crime goes here are the numbers for 2007
Murder Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault
Norfolk 48 97 910 869
Portsmouth 17 36 326 425
VAB 16 88 555 430
Even if these numbers are based on per capita....if you are that one....I'd still take my chances in Portsmouth. Considering I've lived in every city here, including 20 in VAB....Portsmouth is the best kept secret in Hampton Roads!
?
BULLDOZE and be done with it.