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HomeMy Public PortalAboutLicensing Minutes 8-18-16 Minutes September 15, 2016 ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: August18, 2016 1. Special Licenses (See below) : a. Armenian Cultural & Educational Center Fundraiser August 26, 2016 • Special All Alcohol License Approved 3-0 b. Armenian Cultural & Educational Center Independence Day Celebration September 24, 2016 • Special All Alcohol License Approved 3-0 • Extended Hours Withdrew 1. New Salts, Inc. d/b/a La Bodega by Salts 21 Nicholas Ave Status Hearing Continued to September 15, 2016 2. Vegan Boston LLC d/b/a Wild Rice Café 71 Elm Street Continued to November 17, 2016 Status Hearing Visual evidence of signage Discrepancy on seating 3. The Aegean Restaurant II, Inc.d/b/a The Aegean Restaurant 60 Indian Head Road Framingham, MA 01701 Continued to November 17, 2016 Status Hearing 7:15 PM to 8:35 PM Donna B. Doucette, Chairman Licensing Board TOWN OF WATERTOWN BOARD MEMBERS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING DONNA B. DOUCETTE 149 Main Street GEORGE B. NEWMAN Watertown, Massachusetts 02472 STEVEN W. AYLWARD TEL. (617) 972-6486 ALTERNATE MEMBER FAX (617) 972-6595 SANDRA KASABIAN HOFFMAN Present: Donna B. Doucette, George B. Newman, Steven W. Aylward, New Salts, Inc. d/b/a La Bodega by Salts 61 Prichard Avenue, No. 1 Somerville, MA 02144 The Watertown Licensing Board reviewed the status of the all alcohol common victualler license granted to New Salts, Inc. d/b/a La Bodega by Salts for exercise at 21 Nichols Avenue. At the Board’s meeting of April 21, 2016, Gabriel Bremer, manager, reported that the estimated opening date for the restaurant was late summer / early fall of 2016. As of August 18, the restaurant was not yet open for business. If the restaurant is not open for business by September 15, 2016, a representative of the licensee must appear for a status hearing at the Licensing Board’s meeting of that date. The meeting will take place on September 15 at 7:15 p.m. in the Philip Pane Hearing Room, Administration Building, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA. Vegan Boston, LLC d/b/a Wild Rice 71 Elm Street Watertown, MA 02472 The Watertown Licensing Board met to review the status of the signage required as a condition of the Board’s approval, on June 16, 2016, of the application of Vegan Boston, LLC d/b/a Wild Rice for an All Alcohol Common Victualler License to be exercised at the existing restaurant premises at 71 Elm Street and for approval of a change of hours of operation for the Common Victualler License exercised at the premises. Pankaj Pradhan, manager, appeared on behalf of the licensee and presented photographs of signage placed at the premises. There is a “do not park . . .” sign inside the restaurant and at the front door regarding use of the Watertown Mall premises. A picture of the sign at the front door was presented by Patricia Stenson, general manager of the Watertown Mall. Mr. Pradhan also submitted a copy of a parking agreement with Moynihan Lumber for parking of restaurant customer cars at the Moynihan site on Arlington Street. Ms. Stenson commented that she had not seen either the valet stand or a valet sign at the restaurant site, and that there continue to be illegally parked cars on the Mall property. She stated that 100 cars had been towed since the Board’s hearing in June. Mr. Pradhan responded that the valet stand is moved when it rains, and that an umbrella for the stand was just acquired last week. He noted that the rented parking space area, 3 spots, is near the bicycle path, not on Nichols Avenue, and that he has an arrangement for parking spaces off Arlington Street. Mr. Pradhan added that when patrons are seen parking in the mall lot, they are told they cannot do so. In response to a question from Board member Aylward, Mr. Pradhan stated that the restaurant opens at 8:00 a.m. and that the valet attendant arrives at 10:00 a.m. He added that there had only been about three valet requests in the past two months. Mr. Pradhan explained that the person who works at the valet stand is not there “all the time,” but moves back and forth between the stand and the counter in the restaurant. Once dinner service is started at the restaurant, a sign will be put up to inform patrons regarding parking at the Moynihan Lumber site. Board chairman Doucette stated that the licensee needs to be more proactive regarding valet service, so that persons approaching the restaurant see a valet – instead of having to go looking for one. Mr. Aylward added that more needs to be done to provide customers notice of parking requirements. In order to clarify a discrepancy in reports to the Licensing Board, the Board voted to modify the seating limits, as most recently set forth in the decision following the June 16, 2016 hearing. They are as follows: seating capacity of 52, 40 seats inside and 12 seats outside. Per the Board’s decision in June, a further status hearing will be held on November 17, 2016 to review operations of the restaurant. The status hearing will take place at 7:15 p.m. in the Philip Pane Hearing Room, Administration Building, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA. The Aegean Restaurant II, Inc. d/b/a The Aegean Restaurant Attn. Chris Ntasios 60 Indian Head Road Framingham, MA 01701 The Watertown Licensing Board has continued the status hearing on the matter of the all alcohol common victualler license previously issued for your exercise at 640 Arsenal Street and the December 14, 2015 report of your attorney to the Board that your lease for the premises had been terminated, including the matter of a proposed transfer of the license. The status hearing was opened on January 21, 2016, continued to April 21, 2016, and continued again to August 18, 2016. On August 18, attorney Norman Kaplan appeared on behalf of the licensee, together with Chris Ntasios. He stated that Mr. Ntasios’s first priority is re-entering the restaurant business as a transfer of the license to a purchaser appears unrealistic at this time given the State Legislature’s recent passage of a special act authorizing additional alcohol licenses for Watertown. Attorney Kaplan explained that Mr. Ntasios will likely need to seek out a small space for exercise of the license. He added that Atlantic License Brokers, which was retained for the purpose of brokering a sale/transfer of the license, is viewing the license as having functionally no value at this time. The continued hearing on this matter will be held on November 17, 2016 at 7:15 p.m. in the Philip Pane Hearing Room, Administration Building, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA.