[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: So I think it's 1.33, I think we'll begin. I just wanna make a statement that pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12th, 2020 order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law, General Law Chapter 30A, Subchapter 18, and the Governor's March 15th, 2020 order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in any one place This meeting of the Medford License Commission will be conducted via remote, specific participation to the greatest extent possible. Specific information and the general guidelines for remote participation by members of the public and our parties with a right and or requirement to attend this meeting can be found on the city of Medford's website, which is medfordma.org. For this meeting, members of the public who wish to listen or watch the meeting may do so by accessing the meeting link contained herein. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so, despite best efforts, we will post on the City of Medford or media community media website an audio or video recording. transcript or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting. Uh, I now will call the meeting of the method license commission to order. Um, and, uh, we would like to just take attendance for whoever is, uh, participating in this, um, zoom call. So if you could identify yourself, Alicia, you've already done so. Thank you. If, um, rest of the people that are on the call could identify themselves and what their purpose is for the meeting. I'd be happy to proceed. You're on mute, whoever's speaking. Dominic, are you speaking? You're on mute. Mari?
[Maury Carroll]: Mari Carroll, Carroll Trust for an application to be able to serve outside.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_02]: Peter? Here at the system, Avellino's Mystic Gap, same application I'll serve outside as well. Thank you. Dominic?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: You're on mute. You're on mute.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Oh, can you hear me now? I can hear you now. Okay. How are you?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Good. How are you, Dominic?
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Good. Thank you. Good to see you all safe and sound and healthy. Dominic Camaro, Chamber of Commerce. I'm on the committee with the restaurant, et cetera, et cetera.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. Denise Baker.
[Unidentified]: Denise? Can't hear.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Oh, Denise, we can't hear you.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Can't hear.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Unmute yourself, Denise.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Still can't hear, Denise.
[Daria Tejera]: It's weird because she's not muted, so I don't know why. She said one second. OK.
[Alicia Hunt]: It's a technical problem on her end.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. Thank you.
[Alicia Hunt]: I renamed her. Cause I know she's with Salvatore's.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yes. Okay. Thank you. We'll come back to a real gusto.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah. Hello. This is Matteo Ron's. You're from real gusto. Can you hear me?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I can hear you fine. Thank you.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Thank you. Thank you very much for this meeting. And yeah, we are here to ask for the understood.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. Ken Krauss. Ken Krauss.
[Allan Martorana]: Ken, you're on mute. OK.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Ken Kraus. All right, moving right along. Sean Began.
[Sean Beagan]: Yeah, hello, Sean Began, 362 Lawrence Road. I'm an attorney in Medford. I do represent Carroll's, as well as a number of other businesses in the square. I'm on this call just for general information purposes, as well as to listen in on Maury's behalf as well.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. I think that's everybody. Yes. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Daria.
[Daria Tejera]: No, I was going to say, I believe so. Yes. And then we also have, um, I'm blinking just recording the life. Sorry. Okay.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: All right. No problem. So moving right ahead, first thing on our agenda is to approve the minutes from the May 20th, 2020 meeting, which have been distributed. Motion is now in order.
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah, Daria, thank you for putting the minutes together. Was that our first Zoom meeting? I can't remember. Was that our second one? But nevertheless, thank you, Daria, for doing that. The minutes are concise and accurate, and I motion to approve the minutes as they were written.
[Daria Tejera]: Yeah, I second that.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[Daria Tejera]: And then I don't know if you guys saw that Kent Cross doesn't have a working mic. He's just an interested citizen.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Fine with me, it's okay. Thank you. The minutes have been motioned and seconded. So those minutes have been approved. First item on my agenda is the representative from Long Cross, Byron Kitchen at 501 Fellsway for an alteration of premises. Is there anybody?
[Daria Tejera]: No, no, that's the list I got. I went by the list that I got from Alicia, two days ago before doing that john, when I did agenda. So I don't think, Alicia, they're not. Do they do you know if they have outside premises.
[Alicia Hunt]: I know there was some confusion between that outside premises. Um, I do not have a list of whether or not they have an outdoor liquor license yet. Okay.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: All right. So they did not file an application then Daria? No, they did not. All right. So next one on my agenda is the Porch Southern Fair in Duke.
[Daria Tejera]: They didn't either. They do not either. Yeah, Alicia sent it to me, but they didn't file it. They didn't file?
[Alicia Hunt]: They're on the list from the clerk's office. So there are several where we believe the health department, building department, think that they've already had for many years outdoor dining and liquor license. And that's the the porch Bertucci Razzos semolina and snappy patties But we haven't had access to an elect like a list anyway, right?
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah And then I remember when we approved long cross their plans showed outside dining to remember all along the back end of the restaurant, so Yeah
[Alicia Hunt]: We thought maybe they did because they came in to the place that was not your average Joe's, but we have not been able to get anybody to confirm that for us. And they told us they had a liquor license, but I'd like that.
[Allan Martorana]: Sure. No, no, I get it.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: No. So the next one I have on my agenda that is real gusto.
[Daria Tejera]: Yes. I have them as well.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: They have their application and they are present?
[Daria Tejera]: Yes.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: If they could explain their alteration, that would be very much appreciated.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, well, we have a back alley, and we got the authorization from the landlord to use it. And then we have two small balconies that I think, in the end, are inside. But we are asking for the, let's say, the patio we would like to put outside. The thing is that now the health department, they didn't get us the approval for the COVID-19. So what's happening is that we are asking for this license in order to open after this. So it's like something more hopefully for the near future. But now we are just opening two balconies in the restaurant.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: two balconies off the restaurant?
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Is this to the rear overlooking the river?
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: And how many tables can you put on those two balconies?
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Just two tables for, let's say six, two tables for three.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Two tables for three. Okay. So you're not looking to expand to any other spot, the sidewalk out front or anything else? You just want two balconies
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, sorry, not in the front. We think it's not a nice place to put tables in the front of 24th High Street. We are thinking after the COVID-19 to open in the back alley, that is 20th High Street, and I think we already sent all the documentation. about these seats. The thing is that we don't have the nine feet that are requested for the COVID-19 issue. So yesterday we talked to Melanie and to John and they suggested us to ask for this license for the future, also for these spots and in that spots we are going to have five tables, so ten seats.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: But all you're looking for today is, my question for you is, how do you access the balcony?
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Where you're gonna have two... I mean, there's two big windows. It's like an open room.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I understand that, but I've actually eaten at your restaurant several times. But to get to the balcony, you gotta walk through the restaurant, correct? Yeah, correct.
[Alicia Hunt]: See, that's what... That is allowed by the health department.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Right. Um, it is allowed by the health department, but that is not necessarily the intent of what the governor wanted. The governor asked for open dining. If you are trans transitioning from the restaurant to get to a balcony for six people, is that what you're saying? Yeah. Um, that sort of is not the intent of what the spirit is of this. So how do you prevent people from stopping and sitting down while they're waiting to sit for the six tables out back, six seats?
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: There is no seats available on the dining room or at the bar. It's just like a book.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: You've taken all those away.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, I'm taking all the seats on the tables and everything is not accessible for other people to sit. It's just a long way. It's just a long walk to reach the balconies.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: For six parties, I mean, a table of three and three, six people.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, six people that are very far from each other. I mean, so. So there is enough room. I mean, yesterday, we had the meeting with Melanie from the Bordeaux Health. They were more than comfortable about this thing.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Right. Well, they can be comfortable with it. They're dealing with the food. We're dealing with the liquor. Yeah.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: I mean, the barcodes are closed. So there is no way that people can get out without, I mean, noise. I mean, closed balconies. overlooking the river.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: Ben, you had a question? So it's just the two tables that you'll be able to get open?
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yeah. Unfortunately, just two. But it's something. In this time, also two tables is something compared to nothing.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: This is kind of a question to maybe the commissioners, but does the Governor make a rule I mean does, like do they include open, maybe we'll get to this with some of the doors, where you know, maybe wants to mute it. You know, open doors count is outside.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: It's outside, the two balconies are outside of the premises.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's outside. You know, it's outside.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: Okay, I thought it was just open doors.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: No, no, it's just you go outside.
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah, but Jim, to your point, I understand it's almost like it's a loose interpretation because you're cutting through the restaurant to get outside versus approaching the restaurant and you're already outside, but But I believe if he's taken the steps to remove tables and chairs to keep people from loitering and sitting down, then, you know, I'm comfortable with that. Also, if the Board of Health has looked at it, Again, I know it's kind of turning the rule or the guideline or the law inside out, but I don't see a problem with that. I just wish we had, a long time ago, developed a river and developed like a boardwalk along the back so we'd be able to access it from the back. But that's another point.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: I mean, for sure we are doing everything to make it happen.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I mean, I guess for two tables and, you know, for the liquor service, I don't see that, you know, I don't, I don't have a problem with it.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: So let me just add one other thing. Everybody realizes that any license that's being entertained today will expire at the earlier of November, 2020 or at the governor's, um, reversal of his order. Um, and also, um, if there are any violations relative to the liquor licensing. Authority today, everybody agrees without any hearing, um, at, at the, um, suggestion of the alcoholic beverage control commission. Everybody understand? Yes.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Yes.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: So, um, as long as, uh, real gusto understands if there's people sitting inside that restaurant waiting for a table that, in my opinion, is a violation of the governor's order for open seating. I think you do qualify for the open seating out back. And, um, I think you are entitled to have people sitting out there. But I think sitting any other place, regardless of what the Board of Health has to say, is a potential violation.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Understood. We are doing just, in order to avoid anyone waiting, we are working just on reservation only. I got it. That makes sense. So like three shifts, 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. So people never, I think, get each other. That's fine.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: I think you're doing the right thing.
[Q7cD9OP2TNA_SPEAKER_03]: Jim?
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Yes. Jim, hi. Also, for optics, for the sake of optics, I understand your position exactly, and I don't blame you for bringing that out. What if Mateo were to put, you know, those nice little things that look like you create with little sticks and with a tape or something that would make it look like a car or that you can't possibly, you know, go left or right of it directly to that. If he were to do that, at least... I think that's a good suggestion.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I think that's a good suggestion, Dominic. I'm just trying to protect the license holders in the city so we don't issue a license and then have a misunderstanding down the road. I think that would be disastrous for what the intent is here. The intent is to try to give these restaurants a leg up so they can get up and operating and opening without waiting for the next phase to open. So anything like that, I think, would be very helpful in the whole process. Yes.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: I think the objects are important. Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Okay. Thank you.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. Any further questions?
[Allan Martorana]: I'm good. Okay. Yeah. So, uh, I motion to accept the, uh, alteration of premises.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. License is granted for the alteration of premises. Um, the next item I have on my agenda is snappy patties. Obviously, um, you know, this is all subject to the board of health as Alicia said, Um, you know, and, uh, I assume you're working your way through that. Um, next one I have on my agenda is snappy patties.
[Alicia Hunt]: Snappy patties has informed us that they are intending to use their existing outdoor dining area, which we understand already has an outdoor dining alcohol license permit, and they're not going to expand any further beyond their existing footprint.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Fine. Thank you very much. Thank you. So now we will take on a, I guess, a first come first serve basis. Any other pending applicants in no particular order?
[SPEAKER_00]: I got my audio to work.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: If you can hear me, have the floor, Denise.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much. So I put in an application for outdoor seating out back behind the restaurant, take advantage of four of the parking spots that parallel the back of the building. But for ADA compliance, I will need to have a couple out front because that's the only access that anybody who's mobility challenge can get into the restaurant.
[Allan Martorana]: Okay, have you- I'm sorry, Denise, how many, four spots out back, two spots in front?
[SPEAKER_00]: No, four of the parking spots, Alan, but I was hoping to use the sidewalk out front because the sidewalk is nine feet in diameter. Okay. And my tables are about two feet wide, so that does give about seven feet clearance.
[Allan Martorana]: Okay, and how many individuals?
[SPEAKER_00]: So a total front and back, Alan? Yeah. So total front and back, if I do my math correctly, about 25. And that still gives us six feet apart.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay, thank you. Denise, could you just walk me through the four parking spaces? How many tables go up there? That's what I wanted to know.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so I did the math. So if I squeeze, if I do six feet apart, because the tables that I have are about, not more than any two feet in diameter and the stools are pretty small too. So if I go along the four spots, I could do, like I could get four into one spot, then, I'm sorry, eight into one, two in the next, eight into one, two in the next by spreading them six feet apart.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. And how many out front?
[SPEAKER_00]: I could fit five if I needed to, but that would be the max.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Six feet apart and get five. Okay. Let me ask another question. Have you got permission from the city for the parking lot and the sidewalk?
[Alicia Hunt]: Maybe. Denise, if I might. So we are working through that process and advise Denise to talk to you in a parallel process. So we're working with Todd Blake, our traffic planner, to lay it out. And we're getting ready to take it to the traffic commission. But we advise her to speak with you at the same time that we're going to.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I think that makes a lot of sense, Alicia. Because whatever decision we make here, Denise, would be subject to whatever the city passes judgment on the parking lot and the sidewalk. Of course. So just along those lines. So alcohol that would be delivered to the parking lot would be delivered from your bar area up the back staircase to the parking lot. And what steps would you take to make sure that alcohol doesn't leave the four parking spots?
[SPEAKER_00]: The same steps that I would is for inside. I'd be training with my staff and I would have two managers on every shift. So one could monitor out back and one could monitor out front.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: And the same is true. Would you have somebody out back at all times?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I mean, unless I get, you know, one of us get called in, but that's the idea.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: So one all back and one out front, potentially. Thank you. Do you put any questions out, Ben?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: Go ahead. Yeah, I was wondering, Denise, do you put partitions like, or something like that, or?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so what I had done is, in a call, speaking to Alicia and a few other people, I had asked if the city could loan me some saw horses. to kind of section the parking spots off. And then I was also looking into like a freestanding tent area. And maybe as we go along, maybe some kind of even fencing or something.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: You know, I'm glad you brought up the tent, Denise. One of the things that the ABCC, I've been in contact with them, as you might imagine, almost every day this week. If you do have a tent, you are not allowed to have more than two sides on the tent.
[SPEAKER_00]: The ones I was thinking of have no sides at all.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: In their opinion, if you have four sides and we're bound to have rain at some point, right? Then it becomes a closed dining experience, which is not allowed. So just keep that in the back of your mind if you decide to put up a tent. Allen, Brian, Ben, any?
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah, no, I get it. I'm happy you're talking about fencing because that was one of our concerns with Snappy Patty when they were talking about moving out back. We were concerned that someone might hit the gas pedal rather than the brake. So I'm glad you are taking steps for that area. No, I'm fine. I don't have any other questions.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm kind of lucky because my brother happens to be in the fence business.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: Oh yeah, get him over there.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that doesn't hurt, Denise. Right? That's right. That's right, that's all good. Yeah, I don't have any other questions. No other questions, Ben? Alan, no other questions?
[Allan Martorana]: No, I think it's smart and it's a good solution to the nightmare that we're all trying to get through.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Right. Mark.
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. So motion would be in order.
[Allan Martorana]: Uh, again, yeah. I'd, I'd motion, uh, for alter premises, uh, for Salvatore's restaurant.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: I would second the motion.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. And again, subject to the city of Medford's confirmation, Denise and, and all of the other things that I said, it expires November of 2020, unless extended by the governor. And, um, so that's fine. So the alteration has been approved.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: You're welcome. Good luck. Thank you. Good luck. Yeah. Next morning, Carol. Good afternoon, Mari. Good. Thank you. So just give us a little background of where you are.
[Maury Carroll]: We have applied for the outside service of alcohol service. It's, It is our plan to use the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, going towards the crowded bridge. We're waiting for DCR to give us approval. They're supposed to, their legal department is far as coming out with approval for using the bridge. And I guess it's a blanket liability thing that they're doing for this circumstance throughout the state for all their property.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: How far over the bridge would you like to go, Murray?
[Maury Carroll]: Probably just about halfway up to the first pillar. We don't want to get too overextended there. It's got to be one of those situations where, you know, we have to set it up in the afternoon and break it down when we're done at night time, bring everything in. So, you know, we're just trying to take a little bit of the curse off.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I get it. How many tables would you like to get, Murray?
[Maury Carroll]: I think we're somewhere, we measured it without actually putting tables out there and that always changes. The area seems to shrink when you get the tables out there. But my guess is we're somewhere around 15 two-tops.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: When you say two-tops, two person per table?
[Maury Carroll]: Yeah, yeah, 15 deuces. We're going to put them right up against the building and against the railing on the bridge. If we have to bring one in for a party of four, we'll be pulling there. But judging with the six foot clearance that we need to create between tables, I'm thinking somewhere around 15.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: And Mari, as you look at your front door, except for the window to the right of your front door, is it predominantly seating going to the left as you look at your front door? It is.
[Maury Carroll]: We're going to have, we'll have our managers will be out there. They'll be greeting the guests, seating them. There's obviously no waiting area. We'll be taking phone numbers. If there is a wait, they'll have to wait in their car. We'll text them or call them to let them know that there is a table available. We're going to kind of go with the 90 minute rule that everyone seems to be existing on as far as table occupancy. So we can kind of do a little bit of a turn. We've come out with a more limited menu that's more conducive to outdoor dining than our regular heavy menu that we serve inside.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: You're not going to move any tables towards high street. they're all gonna go straight.
[Maury Carroll]: No, we're going the other way. We're going the other way.
[Allan Martorana]: Too much congestion down there. Maury, you said the first pillar, I can't, there's scaffolding set up by my bank, so I can't look out the window and look at the bridge, but the first pillar, is that a quarter of the way onto the bridge or halfway onto the bridge? Like I said, I can't see it.
[Maury Carroll]: I think it's around a third of the way, Alan.
[Allan Martorana]: A third, okay.
[Maury Carroll]: Yeah, we're right deficit right in that window. I'm not exactly sure. Okay, so you can't get halfway out to the bridge that's too ambitious or no way or I don't think at this point we want to go that far and stretch us out this that far, you know, we're still limited on staff and what we can do and, you know, if need be that we have to go halfway with certainly, you know, take a look at it.
[Allan Martorana]: Not for me to tell you your own business, but could you go for half of it and if you don't use it, at least you got that in your back pocket in case everything takes off?
[Maury Carroll]: Oh, absolutely.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. Dominic's got a question.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: through the chair. Listen, I can't wait for this to happen because to me, and I can't wait to go out. I've done it because I, you know, I wasn't going to go to a restaurant, but it's going to seem as though I'm sitting in the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Once he sets up, I think that's going to be great for Matt. Oh my goodness. I can't wait.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: All you need is the gondola is going underneath.
[Allan Martorana]: If we can get Roland to move some of his jewelry over there, then we got the Ponte Vecchio.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: That's right. That's right. That's right. All those jewelry stores up and down the Ponte Vecchio, right?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: That's right. As I said to Denise, Mari, I'm just concerned about the alcohol staying where it's served to, you know, in light of, and I hope it's tremendously successful as Dominic said.
[Maury Carroll]: I plan to coordinate office, you know, we're coming out with planters in between, where the seating area is and our restricted area as far as serving, that will be the dividing line. We have enough staff and experienced staff. We've been doing this all week.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: And you've both done a good job. Everybody on this Zoom call has done a good job at dispensing alcohol. I'm just suggesting it's a new era and a new, just be aware, that's all.
[Maury Carroll]: I hear you exactly, Jimmy. I know exactly what you're saying and appreciate that.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yep. I don't have any other further questions, Alan or Ben?
[Allan Martorana]: No, no, I'm good. Ben, you want to make the motion or you want me to do it?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: Um, yeah, I'll make the motion. It's, uh, alteration of, uh, premises, premises, changing premises. I'll just make that motion.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I seconded all those in approval. None. Your application has been approved. Thank you very much. Yeah.
[Allan Martorana]: Again, Maury, like same, same thing to Denise. Very creative, very smart. Uh, I applaud you for thinking outside the box.
[Maury Carroll]: We do the best we can right now.
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah, exactly.
[Maury Carroll]: Hey, thanks so much gentlemen. Appreciate all your help.
[Allan Martorana]: You're welcome.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Peter, I think you're up.
[Maury Carroll]: Can you hear me?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. Yeah, I can't hear you. Peter, if you could just tell us a little bit about, although I ride by it every day, so I pretty got a pretty good sense. Why don't you tell everybody what's involved with the R application?
[SPEAKER_04]: I'm looking for maybe eight tables, 16 chairs out there on private property. That's right in front of the restaurant.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yep. And Alicia, I think the Board of Health is involved in in each one of these applications. So, so this, whoever's a parent today, I assume is not a surprise to the board of health.
[Alicia Hunt]: They visited all of these locations.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[Alicia Hunt]: Uh, Avalino's is private and, um, state property. So we're aware that they're working with the state for permission. And we're aware of Salvatore's requests. Sorry, Harold's requests to the state as well.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. So Peter, I know you said it a minute ago, but I didn't have my pen in my hand. How many seats? Eight tables, 16 seats.
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: It seems like you have, do you already have any outdoor seating there?
[SPEAKER_04]: Is there is that we just, we, we put a couple of tables out yesterday to see how it would go, but that was it. Yeah. No, we never had in the past. No, no. It's just intimidating out there with the mystic gap being like a straight shot.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's intimidating for me to do outside seating out there. And I would have loved to brought in maybe Jersey barriers this time here to kind of like off a bit. If somebody rolls up on there, that would be, you know, scary. Um, but before I did any of that, I just wanted to make sure I got proper permission.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Sure. Well, it is private property. So that, you know, eliminates that discussion. Um, and, um, Again, the only thing, as I said to the others, Peter, is just watching the alcohol because it is out in the public area. But short of that, I don't have any other questions.
[SPEAKER_04]: To be honest with you, we're not a big alcohol facility, as you know. Yeah, I know.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: I know. Peter, good luck. Through the chair, Peter, good luck. And hello to the girls, all my fellow students. I wish you all the best luck. And I know how all of you have suffered, Peter.
[SPEAKER_04]: Thank you very much. We love you. We'll get through it. You will get through it.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: We'll all get through it together. Yeah, that's right. That's what we're all trying to do here.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Mr. Chairman, this might be a good time, if you allow me to speak to Alicia and get back to her. Last week on the same Zoom about this reopening and so on and so forth, I, with all my heart, I had offered my patio on the Mystic River, as you all know, to possibly Denise and Mari. And when Alicia contacted me, she said, Dominic can potentially send that. I contacted my insurance company and my law firms and so on, and they wanted to have me committed to even thinking about it. He says, you have no idea. I said, come on. But they said, no, no, no, you can't even think about it. I said, but why? My hat's in the right place. And so they gave me this list. I said, OK, OK, I get it. I get it. I get it. And unfortunately, so but who knows? Maybe someday, some day.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Maybe someday.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: I will make it available. I don't know we'll find a way but right now they said don't even think about it. I'm so sorry I shouldn't have said it but I you know I wanted to with all my heart I really did.
[Alicia Hunt]: The mayor's policy that has been published and actually based on advice from KP Law our lawyers is that we that everybody be required to have the property adjacent to theirs, so they're not comfortable with somebody walking across the street. And then open to the public seating has its own issues because somebody has to take responsibility for cleaning the tables.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: And that's a good point, Alicia. I said, oh my God, okay, okay, okay, I get it, I get it. But like I said, my house was in the right place.
[Allan Martorana]: What do you think, Dominic? Dominic, you think Denise is going to come across the street with a plate of chicken piccata and bring it in the back?
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: I don't know. I think, I think maybe, maybe Colleen's or something. I don't know what the issue is, but I might have breaks, you know, but not being right. No, you can't. You're outside of that. Pat, whatever, you can't even think about it, let alone making it available.
[SPEAKER_12]: Okay, all right, I get it, I get it now.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: But that's a good point, Alicia. The ABCC has also been very specific that it has to be contiguous. There's no walking across the street with tables, I'm sorry, pallets of beer or wine and crossing High Street. It doesn't meet the test.
[Allan Martorana]: No, it makes sense, it makes sense.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: So Peter, I don't have any other questions. Mr. Chairman, can I share this pressure with my friends that I can still do that? God, I can. Yeah, you can. What if I put a little sambuca, which is liquor? Can I do that?
[Allan Martorana]: Oh, yeah. No problem.
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: Yeah.
[Allan Martorana]: Let's see, Ben or Alan, any questions for Peter? No, I don't have any questions for Peter.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: No, and I think, I mean, actually, Peter, I think you have a lot of, you probably have the most space thus far out in front of your restaurant than, you know, compared, so I'm okay with it. And now you'll take proper precautions and make a motion to approve the change. Great, seconded?
[Allan Martorana]: I second it, yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: All those in favor?
[Allan Martorana]: Very good.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: That's approved, Peter. Thank you, Peter. Thank you, everybody. Thank you very much. Thank you. I think what we should do is, you know, given the fact that there is probably quite a few other people that probably want to come before us, the licensing commission for an alteration of premises, I think we should probably set up a weekly meeting until we satisfy the need. Uh, so that everybody knows that we're meeting, uh, weekly until we get through this process to attempt to approve as many as possible and not tie anybody up. So, you know, I would like to make a motion that we, um, move, um, each week, Wednesday at one o'clock. for at least the next, I don't know, let's say the next two weeks anyways, to see if we can't get everybody addressed before this, so we're not the log jam in the whole process. So starting next Wednesday, Daria, if you could set it up, Wednesday's at one o'clock.
[Daria Tejera]: Yeah, we'll have a meeting next Wednesday anyways, like our regular meeting.
[Allan Martorana]: Right, yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: But then we'll do it for a couple of weeks after that too, or we'll vote next meeting. But Alicia, if you could let everybody know in City Hall that we're doing that from the Board of Health and anybody else, I think it would be very helpful if everybody knows they can come in front of us on a Wednesday at one o'clock. I think it serves the community well.
[Alicia Hunt]: That's great. And I'll just ask Daria that if you do hear from people applying, it would be great to make sure you loop, just loop me in so that I can make sure that the board of health and the building department is also aware of their application. I'd hate to have somebody come to you and we don't realize it and we could have been looking. I just want to keep it in sync enough.
[Daria Tejera]: Yeah, that's fine. We've been working together.
[Alicia Hunt]: Anyway, so we definitely have some places The best of my knowledge off the top of my head. They're not restaurants that serve alcohol that traditionally put tables out in front and there's some concern that they may not have enough space because the guidelines at the Health Department and the building department are following or that you need a Um six feet between the table and the walk aisle and then you need a three-foot walk aisle And so some of our sidewalks are wide enough So they're exploring some options that we are going to take to the traffic commission if the businesses are interested in closing the park, the parallel parking in front of their businesses to allow the greater distance and to allow tables. We're exploring that in some various locations to see if that's gonna be possible. But there are some restaurants that think that they can just put their tables out like usual. And in fact, under COVID restrictions, they don't legally have enough space. So the Board of Health is following through with those. And that's one of the reasons why it's helpful that if you hear from anybody to just check like send that over to us immediately so we can check on it and let you know that we're looking at it too to avoid any misconceptions about whether or not they're going to be allowed to do it.
[Allan Martorana]: Are these our business partners down at uh station landing is that where some of the confusion is or
[Alicia Hunt]: We haven't heard from any, so I just want you to know that Melanie Dineen and the Board of Health has an email list for every common victualer license in the city of Medford and she has reached out to them on several occasions and she has asked anybody who wants to do outdoor seating to register with the city. We've given them a URL that's new. to do a registration form so that we can then check everything with them. And the only business from Stations Landing that we've heard from is Long Cross.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Right. I think every other liquor license holder in Station Landing has outdoor dining already. Every one of those has it. And I believe Long Cross has it too. I don't have the files though. I don't believe there's a restaurant in Station Landing of any size. I mean, Five Guys doesn't even have a liquor license, but anybody with a liquor license in Station Landing has outdoor dining. It's the ones, I think Alicia's talking about ones that are on public streets that need the ability of picking up that square footage from the public street to give those restaurants access to the sidewalks.
[Alicia Hunt]: Right. And we there are a few that we think believe they can just start operating. And we've the Board of Health and the building departments are John Bavuso and Melanie have started now that we've dealt with the people who came to us mass. Now they're going through the ones who we think may be operating because they believe they can just operate and checking to make sure that they have adequate space between their tables and that they're following the COVID-19 guidelines. A few of them may be told that they have to move some outdoor tables in order to allow, because no restaurant allows six feet between tables normally. That's huge. So now John and Melanie are starting to check in on those restaurants. They shouldn't need to come to you because if anything, we're asking them to reduce their seating, not expand it. And we have to do that, but we have to follow the guidelines.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_04]: That's right. That's right. Interesting.
[Alicia Hunt]: But if any of those, that's probably, I mean, the idea of blocking off parking to allow additional tables, while it's something that could never have been conceived of before in Medford for some businesses, it's preferable. They'd rather have a customer who has to walk two or three blocks than no customer. Correct. We're having those conversations now.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: And that's why during these times, I think the city, it has been, but needs to continue to be very proactive to get these restaurants, give them a chance of making it and give them whatever they need to open in my mind. And that's the reason this commission will be very open and favorable to trying to do whatever we can to make it happen for them. We will not be the stumbling block, so to speak. My pleasure. Let's see. I don't have anything else on my agenda. Anybody else have anything they'd like to bring up?
[Allan Martorana]: No, I'm good.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Daria?
[Daria Tejera]: That's it, I believe.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Okay. Dominic?
[I5lIrWN8Vh8_SPEAKER_15]: I'm good. The chamber, I listen, I'm speaking, I'm sure for everybody and the board of directors and the president and so on. Thank you. Thank you for what you just said, Jimmy. And Alan and Daria, you know, people always say, oh God, we got to go before the liquor commission. Listen, they don't know sometimes how wonderful you guys are, you know, and how empathetic and how willing you are to cooperate and make things happen for people that are, especially now, that are just losing their shirts and so on. So to everybody that ever asks me those questions and they call me day in and day out. And the others say, no, no, no, no. If there's anything that they can do, unless it's illegal, it's only illegal, they are going to go out of their way to make it happen. And this today, the Zoom proves that anybody that got on the Zoom, they will know that and hopefully pass a word along that you are extremely reasonable, you know, and in respect of the law, obviously. So thank you, thank you to all of you on behalf of me personally, of course, and the Chamber of Commerce and everybody else involved in these restaurants that You know, we've done everything we can to try to make them stay open, as you know, with the money we raise and the money and the gifts and things and so on. And you guys are doing your part. So all the love in my heart for all of you.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for those very kind words. Yeah. And thank you, Alicia, for your input.
[SPEAKER_12]: Alicia, absolutely. All you guys at City Hall.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: You're more than welcome at any one of our meetings.
[SPEAKER_12]: And the mayor, all of you. All of you.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_12]: Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. And there's John. That's John. Thank you, John. You're on mute. Oh, there you are.
[Allan Martorana]: There you go.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I don't know. No, he's still on mute. Sorry, John. It's a good way to do it, Alicia. Thank you.
[Daria Tejera]: The only question that I had is, none of this has to be sent to ABCC, right? Do you mind?
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: It does not. No, we have the authority to do this on our own. You just need to make a record diary of what the representation was for the alteration of premises. Um, put it in their file and, um, you need to, um, also, uh, just make a note, um, of the expiration date. Yeah. November 20th.
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah. November 20th. Yeah.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: That's right.
[Daria Tejera]: So it's November 20th, 2020.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if there's a specific date. I thought it was the end of November or maybe it's November 1st.
[Alicia Hunt]: We thought it was November 1st, 2020. Ah, okay.
[Daria Tejera]: So November 1st, 2020.
[Allan Martorana]: All right. That's my bad. I thought it was November 20th, 2020. That's why I had all these twenties in my head. Okay.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: In this part of the country, it's probably not going to last beyond November 1st anyways with the weather.
[Allan Martorana]: Yeah. That's my guess. That's true. That's true.
[MCM00001210_SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. All right.
[Allan Martorana]: A motion to adjourn that I guess would be in line. Yeah. A motion to adjourn. Thank you very much, everyone. Javier, great. Alicia, thank you so much. The chamber, Ben, thank you very much. Thank you for doing it again next week. Thank you.
[Alicia Hunt]: Yes.