Wunder Garten (150 M. St NW, Facebook, Twitter, website) a new temporary beer garden in a lot slated for redevelopment in NoMa in the near future, opened this Wednesday. The spot, which serves German and Austrian beers (perhaps some wine, no hard stuff), as well as a couple local DC-area brews, will surely be popular in an area not known for many outdoor options. Food trucks may be on site at times.

Wunder Garten will open at noon Fridays-Sundays, 4p other days, and will close at 10p Sun-Thurs and at midnight on Friday & Saturday evenings. However, the bar’s liquor license has a unique (I’ve never seen this before in DC) noise trigger clause that says that the closing time hours will be reduced to 10p every night if 5 separate people who live within 2 blocks complains to ABRA about the noise:

Applicant agrees that in the event five separate residents within a two block radius deem noise (including, but not limited to, noise from speakers or other devices from amplification) to be excessive and file a written complaint or complaints to ABRA to that effect, the operating hours will be adjusted as follows:
Monday – Tuesday: 4 PM to 10 PM
Wednesday – Thursday: 4 PM to 10 PM
Friday: 12 PM to 10 PM
Saturday: 12 PM to 10 PM
Sunday: 12 PM to 10 PM.

This clause was modified by the ABRA board in a way that ostensibly makes it less harsh to the bar but in reality makes it quite possible that a few disgruntled neighbors could force Wunder Garten to close earlier on weekends. Originally the clause said that after 3 neighbors complained about noise, the bar would have 48 hours to fix. If the ANC was not satisfied, then the hours would be reduced for a one month period, when it could be revisited. There is no such waiting period and ANC input in the final version approved by ABRA.