The work of a community organizer is never done. As it turned out, when our neighborhood association defeated the zoning appeal of the local business in his attempt to open a nightclub in our neighborhood, he completely disregarded the result. He continued to run his nightclub much to the chagrin of the residents and even started a defamation law suit against our neighbor accusing her of making racist comments. For a while, my wife and I were thinking of the grin and bear it strategy though when fights broke out in front of the club, or traffic would be terribly backed up, we would sometimes call 911. If we ever saw someone flash a gun, we would immediately call of course from the shadows of our windows.

Then we discovered of another hearing that happened. I again went to city hall to bear witness as a neighbor to testify and a black neighbor also went so that as Asian and Black neighbors, we can make a unified appeal that his business is just keeping us up at night. The Baltimore Sun, our local newspaper went ahead and wrote an article of what happened. It just goes to show that persistence still matters. Another small victory, but if we can keep them up, maybe we can eventually make our neighborhood a more livable, peaceful one and raise our children in the city!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.liquor30jan30,0,4555362.story

City liquor board fines TD Lounge owner $3,100
Inspector had been manhandled there during an investigation last year
By Brent Jones | brent.jones@baltsun.com
January 30, 2009

The city liquor board fined the owner of TD Lounge - formerly Timothy Dean Bistro - $3,100 yesterday after one of the board's inspectors was manhandled by restaurant security during an investigation last year.

Owner Timothy Dean acknowledged during the hearing that his security guards should not have physically kept the inspector from entering his business, in the 1700 block of Eastern Ave., during an early-morning private party Nov. 15. But a member of Dean's staff testified that the inspector did not immediately identify himself and appeared to be trying to avoid paying a $20 cover fee.

The inspector testified that he was escorted out of the front of the restaurant by three security guards, and he was not allowed to begin his investigation until Dean intervened.

"I think the fine is stiff for a first-time offender," Dean said.

Stephan Fogleman, the liquor board chairman, said accusations of threats or abuse against inspectors are taken seriously, and that "noncooperation cases are particularly troubling."

Liquor board commissioners also found the restaurant guilty of operating as a de facto dance club, which violates its zoning designation.

Dean turned the restaurant into a lounge in June, saying at the time that he was losing money as a high-end bistro because of the economy. The lounge was planned to be a jazz club that would stay open late, but a dispute with a neighborhood group occurred, and Dean was not granted the proper entertainment licensing on appeal.

The lounge serves moderately priced food until 1 a.m., and Dean charges a late-night cover on the weekends.

After liquor board investigators first visited Nov. 9 and warned Dean that a live disc jockey and dancing were in violation of his license, Dean said he reconfigured the second floor to make sure there was no room for his patrons to dance. Investigators returned the next weekend for a follow-up inspection when the incident occurred.

Dean said after the hearing that he is being unfairly targeted by city agencies and elected officials, in part, because he is a minority owner in a mostly white district.

City Councilman James B. Kraft said Dean is overstepping the limits of his license, and asked the restaurant owner to cancel an advertised event scheduled tomorrow night at the lounge. Kraft said he considers the event entertainment and would like Dean to show a "good-faith effort" to work with the community by canceling. Dean said he is going through with his plans.

Kraft said he has heard from many neighbors who have criticized the late-night noise and clublike lines outside the restaurant Fridays and Saturdays. He added that more would complain, but they fear Dean, who has a pending defamation lawsuit against a neighbor.