Arlington officials are moving forward on promised efforts to address Clarendon’s nightlife issues on a real-time basis.
The county government has authorized overtime so members of the code-enforcement staff and fire marshal’s office can join police in nighttime and weekend coverage addressing issues related to bars and restaurants in the corridor.
The extra staff is being tasked to “work directly with a business owner” when issues related to noise, trash or occupancy crop up, said Aaron Miller, the government’s deputy county manager overseeing public safety.
Miller was speaking Dec. 19 at the semiannual meeting of the Clarendon Live Entertainment Group (CLEG). The body consists of county staff, venue owners and residents of the surrounding community.
Current funding allows for only limited on-site participation by the code-enforcement and fire-marshal staff, but additional cash is likely to be included in the fiscal 2026 budget to provide more consistent engagement, Miller said.
Also underway is an effort to better align the live-entertainment permits of dining and entertainment businesses in and around the Clarendon corridor. They are being modified as they come up for renewal.
Live-entertainment hours might be adjusted but will not be reduced for individual venues, Miller said. The intent is to “hold everyone to essentially the same standards,” he said.
Staff publicly first detailed their plans during an Oct. 22 work session with County Board members. But to at least some of the participants in the Dec. 19 meeting, word had not trickled down.
Andrew Darnielle, owner of Smokecraft Modern Barbecue, pronounced himself “a little taken aback” that the efforts had moved forward without input from CLEG members.
“There’s been a lack of communication,” said Darnielle, suggesting those owning and operating Clarendon venues had been “blindsided in a public forum.”
“Why were we not included?” he asked.
Miller said that the efforts to date have not required public input.
“We haven’t added new rules, we’re not unilaterally making changes,” he said.
The efforts received a thumbs up from Jay Brodsky, a local resident who said he frequently raises noise concerns.
“I’m glad we’re having these conversations,” Brodsky said.
Several restaurant owners expressed appreciation for Miller’s attendance. One noted that the Dec. 19 online forum may have been the first time a high-ranking county official had attended a CLEG meeting.
