HomeMy Public PortalAboutMinutes 5-16-19 Licensing Board BOARD MEMBERS
�} TOWN OF WATERTOWN DONNA B. DOUCETTE
r SANDRA KASABIAN HOFFMAN
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING STEVEN W.AYLWARD
149 Main Street
Watertown, Massachusetts 02472 ALTERNATE MEMBER
TEL.(617)972-6486
FAX(617)972-6595
Minutes May 16, 2019
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: March 21, 2019 &April 19, 2019
SPECIAL LICENSES:
1. Special Licenses:
• Sons of Italy 520 Pleasant Street Approved 3-0
Bike Run/Fundraiser June 2, 2019
Jim Distefano appeared in support of the application. He stated that this is the 6ch
year of the Boston/Watertown Strong bike (motorcycle) event, and that he had
spoken to the police departments of the other towns through which the bikers will
ride. A post-event reception at the Sons of Italy lodge after the ride will take
place indoors. The Police Department reported that it had no objection to the
granting of the license requested, subject to the conditions in the department's
written report. The Board acknowledged receipt of reports from the Public Works
and Health Departments, and voted to grant the license, subject to the conditions
requested by the Police, Public Works, and Health Departments.
• Eritrean Cultural &Development/ACEC Approved 3-0
One Day All Alcohol/Independence Day Celebration May 18, 2019
Amanuel Estifanos and Habtom Hadgu, a director of the Eritrean Cultural &
Development Center of Boston, appeared in support of the application. The
gentlemen explained that tickets for the event will be sold at the door and that
advance invitations have been issued. Presentation of identification will be
required for service of alcohol, and the remaining product will be picked up from
the site after the event. The Licensing Board requested copies of the crowd
manager certificates for the persons who would serve as crowd managers for the
event. The Police Department reported that it had no objection to the granting of
the license requested, subject to the conditions in the department's written report.
The Board acknowledged receipt of reports from the Building, Fire, and Health
Departments, and voted to grant the license, subject to the conditions requested by
the Police, Building, Fire, and Health Departments.
• Eritrean Cultural &Development/ACEC Approved 3-0
One Day All Alcohol/Graduation June 29, 2019
Amanuel Estifanos and Habtom Hadgu, a director of the Eritrean Cultural &
Development Center of Boston, appeared in support of the application. Mr.
Hadgu stated that the purpose of the event is to gather all graduates for the year at
a single place. Presentation of identification will be required for service of
alcohol. In addition, the organization uses a task force and greeters to monitor the
hall to help ensure proper service. Mr. Estifanos stated that food for the event
would be pot luck. The Police Department reported that it had no objection to the
granting of the license requested, subject to the conditions in the department's
written report. The Board acknowledged receipt of reports from the Building,
Fire, and Health Departments, and voted to grant the license, subject to the
conditions requested by the Police, Building, Fire, and Health Departments.
• Beaverbrook Step Inc./Hellenic Cultural Center 25 Bigelow Ave Approved 3-0
One day All Alcohol License/Annual Meeting June 5, 2019
Irene Cobb appeared in support of the application. This will be the annual
meeting for Beaverbrook STEP, Inc. Ms. Cobb stated that she and George
Faggas, of the Hellenic Center, would serve as bartenders for the event, and that
they both have crowd manager certification. The event will be catered by Maria's
Catering. The Police Department reported that it had no objection to the granting
of the license requested, subject to the conditions in the department's written
report. The Board acknowledged receipt of reports from the Building, Fire, and
Health Departments, and voted to grant the license, subject to the conditions
requested by the Police, Building, Fire, and Health Departments.
• Parish Council Executive Board/Hellenic Cultural Center 25 Bigelow Ave
One day All Alcohol License/Tibetan Cultural Dance event July 6, 2019
Approved 3-0
Irene Cobb appeared in support of the application. She explained that this will be
an all-day event with families and pot luck food offerings. Alcohol will be served
at dinner time. The Police Department reported that it had no objection to the
granting of the license requested, subject to the conditions in the department's
written report. The Board acknowledged receipt of reports from the Building,
Fire, and Health Departments, and voted to grant the license, subject to the
conditions requested by the Police, Building, Fire, and Health Departments.
• Taxiarche Archangels Greek Orthodox Church 103 Bigelow Ave Approved 3-0
One day All Alcohol License, Entertainment License,/Annual Greek Festival
June 21,22,23rd
Irene Cobb appeared in support of the application. She explained that the
requested licenses are for the three days of the church's annual festival, which
will take place Friday to Sunday. Outside, there will be food, pastry, coffee, and
bar service, as well as entertainment, with chairs and tables provided.
Entertainment will include a band and disc jockey. For both the alcohol and
entertainment licenses the Police Department reported that it had no objection to
the granting of the licenses requested, subject to the conditions in the
department's written report. The Board acknowledged receipt of reports from the
Building, Fire and Health Departments, and voted to grant the licenses, subject to
the conditions requested by the Police, Building, Fire, and Health Departments.
Alcohol service hours will be 5:00pm to 11:00pm Friday, noon to 11:00pm
Saturday, and noon to 9:00pm Sunday. The band hours will be 7:00pm to
11:00pm Friday, 5:00pm to 11:00pm Saturday, and 5:00pm to 9:00pm Sunday.
Disc jockey music will be offered at other times.
• Watertown Farmers Market Approved 3-0
Entertainment License/June 12,2019 through October 9, 2019
Stephanie Venizelos, manager for the market, appeared in support of the
application. The proposed entertainment is musicians, mostly folk and acoustic.
The market has a new location this year, Saltonstall Park. Ms. Venizelos
submitted an annotated aerial photograph of the site, showing the location of the
stage for the musicians. The Police Department reported that it had no objection
to the granting of the license requested, subject to the conditions in the
department's written report. The Board acknowledged receipt of a report from
the Health Department, stating it had no objection to granting the license. The
Board voted to grant the license, subject to the conditions requested by the Police
Department.
2. Hadi Coach Approved 3-0
153 Pleasant Street
Livery Limousine License
3. Maslow Restaurant Concepts, Inc. d/b/a Strip T's Restaurant
93-95 School Street Continued to June 20, 2019
Status Hearing
4. McCue's Taxi, Watertown Yellow Cab, Inc.
9 Main Street, Watertown Continued to June 20, 2019
Status Hearing
• Spring Renewals
3 Second-Hand Dealer License expires 6/1 Approved 3-0
49 Auto Repair License expires 6/1 Approved 3-0
10 Open-Air Parking Space License expires 5/31 Approved 3-0
2 Letting out of Motor Vehicles License expires 6/1 Approved 3-0
Start: 7:25PM
End: 9:15PM Donna B. Doucette, Chairman
Present: Donna B. Doucette, Sandra Kasabian Hoffman, Steven W. Aylward
Hassan Farhat
d/b/a Hadi Coach
153 Pleasant Street
Watertown, MA 02472
The Watertown Licensing Board met to consider the application of Hassan Farhat d/b/a
Hadi Coach for a livery license to be exercised from 153 Pleasant Street.
Mr. Farhat appeared in support of the application. Mr. Farhat stated that he has been
driving for a livery business since 2007. He will be using a Lincoln MKS sedan for his livery
operation. He added that the driveway at his property is large enough to accommodate about 10
cars.
Lt. O'Connor stated that the Police Department had no objection to the granting of the
requested license, provided that the conditions stated below were imposed
The Licensing Board voted unanimously to grant the requested license, subject to the
following conditions:
1. The license shall be limited to prearranged transportation of persons rather than
on the street pick-up of persons.
2. The licensee shall maintain a current motor vehicle driving record of all
employees who have been hired as a driver of any motor vehicle to be used in
conjunction with the license.
3. If any driver for the licensee receives more than three moving violations or is
involved in more than one surchargeable accident in a 12-month period, he/she
shall be required, within 90 days of exceeding those limits, to attend a defensive
driving training course.
4. The licensee shall keep all records on file and they shall be made available for
review by any agent of the Licensing Board.
5. The one vehicle to be utilized in connection with the license shall be parked at
153 Pleasant Street, as shown on the photograph of the property submitted at the
hearing.
Maslow Restaurant Concepts, Inc.
d/b/a Strip T's Restaurant
93-95 School Street
Watertown, MA 02472
The Watertown Licensing Board has continued its hearing on the status of the All
Alcohol Common Victualer License previously exercised by Maslow Restaurant Concepts, Inc.
d/b/a Strip T's Restaurant at 93-95 School Street. Pursuant to the terms of the Board's renewal
of the license for 2019, an initial status hearing was held on February 21, 2019, and continued
hearings were held on March 21 and May 16. On May 16, Mr. Paul Maslow, president, appeared
and stated that he had received a purchase and sale agreement from Pepe's Pizza, and that the
documents were with the parties' attorneys. He explained that there were a few elements to be
concluded, and that Pepe's had signed a lease for a location at the Arsenal Yards development
site.
The continued hearing on this application will be held on June 20, 2019 at 7:15 p.m. in
the Philip Pane Hearing Room, Administration Building, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA. If
an application for transfer of the license has been submitted to the Licensing Board prior to that
date, Mr. Maslow will not be required to appear at the hearing.
McCue's Taxi, Watertown Yellow Cab, Inc.
9 Main Street
Watertown MA 02472
The Watertown Licensing Board has continued its hearing on the status of the hackney
carriage license held by McCue's Taxi, Watertown Yellow Cab, Inc. for exercise from 7 (9)
Main Street, and the cessation of business by McCue's Taxi, Watertown Yellow Cab.
The hearing was opened on March 21, 2019 and continued to May 16, 2019. On that
date, the Licensing Board acknowledged receipt of a May 15, 2019 e-mail from Mr. Sean
McCue,president, stating that he was unable to attend the May 16 hearing session and requesting
a continuance to June 20.
Lt. O'Connor reported that the taxi medallions issued for the business and which had
been in the possession of McCue's Taxi had been returned to the Police Department, as directed
by the Board at the March 21 hearing session.
The continued hearing on this matter will be held on June 20, 2019 at 7:15 p.m. in the
Philip Pane Hearing Room, Administration Building, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA.