Hops N Shine Gets Limited Outdoor Approval, Advice From Councilmembers

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Hops N Shine, an Arlandria restaurant that has received strong support from customers and criticism from neighbors beyond its outdoor patio, received a limited outdoor approval Saturday.

City Council approved an amended version of the Planning Commission's recommendation from Councilmember Canek Aguirre for the restaurant at 3410 Mount Vernon Avenue. Aguirre suggested removing a condition that prevents customers from entering or leaving from a back entrance as well as amending a condition to keep only speakers for minimal background music.

City Council kept conditions recommended by the Planning Commission on limiting live entertainment to indoors with windows and doors closed, not allowing outdoor cooking or outdoor games, and not allowing seating to increase while following statewide building and fire code requirements. Any outdoor live entertainment event must receive a special noise permit from the city.

That means the major changes Hops and Shine requested through a special use permit application — doubling outdoor patio seating from 60 to 120, allowing limited live entertainment outdoors, and allowing outdoor cooking — were not approved.

With City Council's decision, the restaurant's special permit will be reviewed in the next three, six and nine months by the planning and zoning director, but another special use permit review could be scheduled if the city finds unresolved violations.

According to the city, outdoor dining on private property is a by-right use, but the city requested a review due to noise complaints and city citations. There have been 11 city citations or warning citations at Hops N Shine since it received a 2020 permit for expanded outdoor seating from 30 to 60, outdoor hours until 10 p.m. beyond Friday and Saturday, and outdoor amplified music. The restaurant's special use permit does not allow live entertainment or outdoor cooking.

The owner, Abe Hadjiesmaeiloo, told the Planning Commission some violations were not valid and have being challenged in Alexandria Circuit Court. Noise complaints have come from neighbors living in homes on Sanborn Place behind the restaurant's outdoor patio.

The city had received negative feedback from Sanborn Place neighbors about the Hops N Shine outdoor expansion, while customers have written in support of the restaurant, its outdoor patio and community fundraising and philanthropic work.

"I've been there both when it's quiet and actually recently this week with the neighbors, with someone who lives there," said Aguirre. "We went there and the neighbor agreed. They're like this is fine. We love this. I mean, most of the neighbors actually say we enjoy the establishment. We just don't like the noise at the end of the night."

Aguirre and most other councilmembers said they want Hops N Shine to be successful but urged them to avoid future violations. He said if the special use permit review gets scheduled again due to violations, "this council will not hesitate to revoke your [special use permit]."

"I think this is a good way for us to try and work together and say, okay, look, we do want you to be successful. We want you to have people out there and have a good time," said Aguirre. "But if you can't maintain that after whenever we come check in three, six, nine months, then we'll go to what the more drastic measure is."

Councilmember John Taylor Chapman said he's hesitant to consider future allowances to the restaurant until they make changes.

"I love the business. I think, you know, being able to have you guys there and bring some activity to that area. That's what we want. You're doing that," said Chapman. "But we have to have you be the good neighbor that everybody wants you to be on paper as well as by voice, and I think staff has shown that they are willing to sit down with you and spend time and talk about that. But some of that willingness has to be on your end."