Over at Red’s Trading Post, Ryan Horsley looks up VPC’s zoning in DC and discovers:
Permits matter-of-right medium/high density development including all kinds of residential uses, with limited offices for non-profit organizations, trade associations and professionals permitted as a special exception requiring approval of the BZA, to a maximum lot occupancy of 80% for residential use, a maximum FAR of 6.0 for residential and 3.5 for other permitted uses, and a maximum height of ninety (90) feet.
So it appears that this address is not zoned for commercial use and whereas a Federal Firearms License is for the purpose of buying and selling firearms, this license does not meet with the City’s zoning requirements.
I wonder if the BATFE Washington Field Division is aware of this.
Oh, I have little doubt there is someone who should know better that’s aware of this, since they not only obtained, but have kept their license when a lot of other “kitchen table” dealers were put out of business. I think someone at ATF called in a favor for VPC. There should be an investigation to find out how they got special treatment.
UPDATE: This is pretty damned funny.
as i posted at red’s – i don’t buy the zoning thing.
1st – dc zoning laws are weird both in their history, their structure and language, because of the role the neighbor hood advisory council’s play.
2nd, there is no way in hell this cant be deemed a commercial zone. Check Google Maps out. Rhode Island, M Street, Connecticut Ave, and 18th Street all meet at that intersection. Its perhaps the most concentrated commercial cooridor and/or intersection in all of DC.
On VPCs block is a burberry’s, a brooks brothers, at least 2 delis (heck there is a sandwhich shop in their building), and a dry cleaner . . . not to mention the American Express retail office there and a slew of strip
And if you audit them at the same level of Rads; how many Violations will you see?
A heads up.
I contacted ATF and got the run around for 5 minutes, getting transfered to no less than 7 different people. One of which said their records show ZERO FFL’s in the district. One of them also said that if you have a curio & relic license for collecting purposes you do not need to be “engaged in the business.”
If you have a dealers license and ARE NOT “engaged in the business” they will come and have a little chat with you. Not sure what to think because some of the people flat out said they didn’t know if any laws would be broken by this behavior.
A special agent is going to call me back and get more details but it sounds like they be interested. If Josh really does have an FFL, he might be in for doozy.
God I love the internet.
Keep up the good work and don’t eat yellow snow.
update:
Got a call back; Special Agent Tuveson is opening an investigation. He said that if he could verify the info I gave him, he would “try to figure out what this guy has been doing for the last 13 years.”
He also gave me a direct contact phone number to him so I will follow up on this and see where it leads.
Wonder if he’s got a petard in his book under Destructive Devices :)