In a packed meeting Monday at City Hall, the Richmond Planning Commission voted to recommend a request by popular RVA venue The Camel to stay open later throughout the week.
In a packed meeting Monday at City Hall, the Richmond Planning Commission voted to recommend a request by popular RVA venue The Camel to stay open later throughout the week.
Owner Rand Burgess submitted a request for a special use permit (SUP) in February to stay open until 2 a.m., 7 days a week.
The property’s current permit, last amended in 2006 to allow WRIR to broadcast from the space above The Camel, reads “Any principal or accessory entertainment use of the property shall cease by 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and by 1:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.”
The planning commission, in a 5-1 vote, recommended that The Camel be given a one-year trial amendment to their permit allowing it to stay open until 2 a.m. Chairman Rodney Poole, the sole opponent of the amendment, focused on The Camel’s numerous reported noise violations throughout the hearing. “I’m firmly in favor of profit,” Poole concluded, “but I’m not in favor of deliberately violating the rules.”
The mandated earlier closing times harmed The Camel’s ability to attract touring bands during most of the week, events manager Lucas Fritz said during public comment at the hearing. “You can’t get the kind of talent that puts Richmond on the map with the restrictions that are on The Camel currently,” he said.
Burgess’ lawyer, Andrew Condlin, argued that The Camel competes with a number of other venues in Richmond, but they don’t operate under the same time restrictions. “The current SUP quite frankly places a burden on [The Camel] that is not applicable […] compared to the other businesses in the area,” Condlin said.
Twenty people ended up speaking in favor of the amendment, with many of them citing The Camel as a favorite place to spend time in Richmond. “To me, The Camel is a lot more than a bar or a music venue,” said Katie Nelson, a rising senior at VCU. Several musicians also came to support Burgess’ petition, arguing that an extra hour means a lot to an act in terms of earnings. “I’ve seen an effect on the amount that I can make there as a business” said Adrianne Ciucci, singer of The Southern Belles.
Some neighbors of The Camel vehemently oppose amending the permit, arguing that the nightclub has already repeatedly overstepped its current permit. “The Camel wittingly has not been in compliance with their SUP since 2008,” wrote Rex Schudder, a landlord who lives at 1610 West Broad Street near The Camel, and owns several other neighboring properties. “I am disturbed by the live amplified music performances until 2 a.m. all days of the week as well as my tenants and neighbors.”
At the meeting, a lawyer for Dan Shorkey, owner of the neighboring Fan Tan, spoke of repeated rejections by Burgess of his suggestions and help to secure The Camel’s trash and reduce its noise. “What we have here is repeated violations, knowing violations,” said lawyer Tricia Dunlap. She compared Burgess’ request to a person who’s received numerous speeding tickets asking for the speed limit to be raised.
The planning staff recommended denying the permit amendment in its report to the commission, arguing that a businesses classified as a “nightclub” was already incompatible with the zoning area of West Broad Street.
The West Grace Street Association supported the amendment, as well as more than 3,000 signers of an online petition.
“A change is necessary if we are to continue providing a platform for local and national acts to share our stage and their creativity with the rich musical culture Richmond has grown to embody,” wrote Burgess in the petition.
The recommendation goes before Richmond City Council at its meeting next Monday, 7/14.
