So parochial and silly. RD must not be pleased ("Why should I have to buy food when all I want is drinks?") He and Joe will have to go to Malden every night now. DL is pretty funny too. Wonder how this jives with Joe's wife's Subst Abuse Committee. Incestuous and hypocritical much?
By Jessica Sacco
jsacco@wickedlocal.com
April 03. 2015 8:07AM
New dawn, new day — and a new set of liquor laws for the city.
Melrose’s Liquor Licensing Commission finalized a set of updated regulations during their meeting Monday night.
The three-member committee unanimously voted to approve a set of proposed changes that will promote economic development in the city and clarify previously ambiguous rules. Melrose’s liquor laws had not been altered since 2009.
Amendments include solidifying the necessity of ordering food when consuming alcohol, regulating seating requirements (including outdoors) and specifying the need for table service.
“I think the commission codified regulations that were often assumed in Melrose but were not law,” Mayor Rob Dolan told the Free Press. “I think it reflects the changing economy in our business districts, which is focused on dining, as well as makes it clear that when individuals are to drink that we want it accompanied with food to keep in line with our concept of downtown restaurants.”
The Liquor Licensing Advisory Committee, which formed last summer by the mayor to review the city’s current regulations, recommended the city decrease the requirement for obtaining beer and wine licenses from 50 to 25 seats and full liquor from 100 to 50 seats.
This matter will be presented to the Board of Aldermen and then the state legislature for authorization.
Members of the Liquor Licensing Commission did however accept a provision in their laws that would permit them to issue licenses to businesses that comply with whatever seating requirements are approved.
The changes
In conjunction with the seating stipulations, restaurants, especially those applying for a beer and wine license would be required to offer table service — meaning a waiter would need to take a patron’s order and bring the beverage to the table.
Customers would not be able to order a drink at a counter, except for establishments with a full liquor license, whose primary purpose is not takeout, but have stools that are permanently affixed to a counter.
During a public hearing on March 19, where liquor commission members reviewed the changes, they asked Dave Lucas, assistant city solicitor and chair of the liquor advisory committee, to look further into the outdoor seating requirements.
Originally, one of the provisions said the outdoor seating could only be accessed through the main entrance of the premises.
“One of the issues was expressed by the license holder at Mount Hood, who said because there are several entrances, it’s not possible for patrons to use [just] the main entrance,” Lucas said.
The rule now states that all outdoor seating shall be enclosed by a fence, railing, plantings or other means to reasonably prevent people from walking into the area by any entrance other than the main entrance or another entrance monitored at all times by one or more employees.
Beverages served in pitchers will continue to be prohibited, although wine-based drinks such as sangria would be allowed in a decanter that does not exceed one liter.
Patrons in any unlicensed or licensed premises may not bring their own beverages (BYOB) for consumption.
The great meal debate
Another new rule will allow restaurant patrons to have one drink before they are required to order food from the menu.
The law also defines food as anything from the menu — dinner, salad, appetizer, etc. Free chips or popcorn would not suffice. This regulation needs to be clearly stated on each restaurant’s menu.
Prior to approval from the commission, member Mike Iudice initiated a lengthy discussion about how the rule would be enforced to ensure that patrons would not get overly intoxicated.
“When you say ‘ordered from the menu,’ if there’s four people sitting at the table, I would assume that means each person has to order something from the menu, unless it says ‘for two people or more?’” he asked.
“I think that’s the easiest way to do it,” Lucas responded. “There’s probably a fine line of over regulating it and leaving it up for interpretation. We don’t want to specifically tell people what to eat in order to drink.”
Iudice said he didn’t want to see a situation where customers could go into a restaurant, have a drink, order a small food item off the menu, and then continue to drink without having to order anything substantial.
Joe Nevin, chair of the Liquor Licensing Commission, explained that the Liquor Licensing Advisory Committee found from restaurant owners that it’s their job to comply with the regulations and are responsible for their patrons.
“And the issue isn’t to police what someone’s calorie intake is, although it may seem like it,” Lucas added.
Iudice said he would mostly be concerned about enforcement if the aldermen pass the new seating regulations where beer and wine can be served with only 25 seats.
“You think it should be a full meal if it’s beer or wine?” Lucas asked.
“I’m not sure but it is a good suggestion,” Iudice responded. “You’re taking an establishment that only serves pizza and subs and they have a beer and wine license. Someone goes in there. They order something off the menu, that isn’t a sub, isn’t a pizza ... I don’t know that this regulation is going to properly address those situations.”
Lucas explained the recommendation to allow patrons to order “any menu item” as opposed to “a full meal” is because patrons and business owners are adults and can monitor themselves. It does not mean, however, that the restaurants will be turned into a bar room.
“If they’re over served, the restaurant owner is in pretty big trouble, which thankfully hasn’t happened yet and I don’t expect it to,” Lucas said.
http://melrose.wickedlocal.com/article/20150403/NEWS/150409378
Soooooo long story, short, we're all children. Isn't that what this is really about? Controlling us? Telling us how much of this, how much of that, you can do this, and not that? This city will never thrive until they realize it's 2015 and not 1955. Is it really that big of a deal that after work I'd like to go a local establishment and have a few brews? I mean, really, is it? But no, I Have to order a god **** porter house steak, just to have more than one beer, it's a joke. This is why people leave Melrose when they want to have a good night out.
Just go up to Mt. Hood, pretend you just played golf, and stand at your car and drink, like everyone else!
Small restaurants can now sell beer and wine. No big deal. If you are complaining about this change you are truly a MM clown.
I wouldn't call it humorous, it's actually great. Melrose used to be dry, then it had restricted sales, and now those restrictions are becoming a little more relaxed. It's progress if anything.
I will refrain from name calling, and say that I am simply stating what goes on every day at your 'sacred' Mt. Hood.
I wish more people would leave Melrose when they want a good night out. The maybe I could park downtown on a Friday night and have a nice meal!
"estounding" ????? 😳
I think he meant "Gee, collywobbles!".
I don't understand how a little breakfast/bagel/sandwich shop gets a beer/wine license. "Right On" calls this progress. I call it stupidity. There are plenty of places to already get your drunk on in this booze fueled society. Owner must have give Dolan a pretty penny for him to make changes to allow this.
Next D'Amicis will be serving italian wine to go with their pastries.
If we have progressed as a society to a point where we need to have beer/wine available everywhere we go then I hardly call that progress. And if you can't go and have a sandwich for lunch without needing a beer then you have a problem. Don't give me the 1950s crap. There are plenty of other places to go and have a drink in this town without making it available everywhere.
Mo Mo, you miss understand Dimwit's real issue. Mayor Dolan proposed the change...therefore it is BAD...if Dolan proposed banning Alcohol from Melrose Dimwit would have said it was Bad. Dimwit is a Dimwit.
Yes melrose is growing everyday you can tell by the amount of traffic and lack of parking. Afternoons and Saturdays are almost impossible to get around. I don't know how you think this is a good thing. Are you new here? Are you a young hipster who wants to live in the city but cant afford it so you think that urbanizing the suburbs is a good thing? Branching out from Boston in this direction is Everett>Malden>Melrose--Melrose is the first, or was the first, nice quiet suburb. Now its becoming an extension of Everett and Malden. If people wanted places like that, people would have moved to places like that. People want the quiet of a suburb, its not a 1950s thing. Instead of you and those like you trying to transform Melrose, how about you move to a community that has everything youre looking for.
How many Melrosians out there love dealing with the extra congestion over the past few years? And the stupidity of peoe doesn't help. More and more I'm seeing people block intersections on green lights fully knowing that it may turn red any second and the flow of traffic will be impeded. This is happening more because of the congestion slowing everyone down. They don't want to wait for the light again.
So let's hear opinions. Who is in favor of a more urbanized Melrose, aside from Rob, I wish I were in charge of a real city, Dolan?
People are constantly texting while driving and are so narcissistic that they wouldn't recognize that their selfish behavior impedes traffic flow. How often do people wave thank you for normal driving courtesies.... Maybe 25% of the time....includes all races, ages and genders....
Here we go again with the Melrose Messages Clown Patrol anonymously calling for civic change. Term Limits this time. Last week it was a rally at the Alderman meeting to protest the override...huge turnout by the way...from the Mayor's supporters. The clowns all failed to show.
I have an idea. Why don't you have a big clown rally on the steps of city hall. You can all dress up like your favorite clown and honk your noses, waddle around in your big rubber boots and squirt water at each other from the flowers on your vests...and start chanting we want term limits...then you can pile into your little clown car and drive away.
Cowardly clowns, each and every one of you.
The "clown" thing is getting old.
Really old!!!!
[/quote] Rob needs to get another job. He doesn't look or act happy, confident or comfortable in his own skin. Time to go. Term limits should be applied to all elected positions in Melrose. Then we could get rid of the SC crazies and the self serving BOA members who are only interested in role playing, posing for pictures and having their neighbors be forced to pay for their health insurance.[/quote]
This post makes more sense than anything else on MM.
If you are going to act like a bunch of clowns you will be called a bunch of clowns. The truth hurts Bozo. What's really old is the constant whining by the pack of mewling cowards on Melrose Messages. MFD the blowhard, how can you continuously run your mouth on this site, call for action at an Alderman's meeting to protest the override, state you are going to be there, and then not show up? Its because you are a clown...just like the rest of the constant critics. All show and no go. Chicken little.
The truth is that the Mayor is very nervous, the SC is dysfunctional and the BOA use limited tax revenue for their own personal health insurance.
My protest will be when I vote no!!![8-)]
"Love it" is engaging in classic Bozo maneuvering by the Clown Patrol. MFD complains that being called a clown is getting old. No response by "Love it". MFD is told that the Clown Patrol whining is getting old and "Love it" comes back with "stop visiting the site" The Clowns think the MM whiner board is their personal paradise. Big election coming up. Big chance for the clowns to show they are something other than a bunch of hypocritical weenies.
Myron and the rest of the clowns have small weeeeeenies[:))]
Democrats have the small weenies.
Stop posting under Myron's "nick". Although we do not agree politically, I know he's above comments like that!
Apparently most people are in favor of a more urbanized Melrose or they wouldn't keep voting in the same people. I for one don't mind what is happening in Melrose, in fact, I kind of like it. Our housing values are through the roof because of the fact Melrose has been "discovered." So while the traffic and population go up, so don't our resale values [:D].
It was only a matter of time Melrose started to change, it's too close to Boston to not. And while the new alcohol laws have loosened up a bit, we are still far behind any community in the Metro area. Still have some catching up to do.
Isn't Clown Patrol tired of being routinely ridiculed and exposed? I loved how you neutered him with the revelation that his immature and vulgar language and put downs were doing the mayor a disservice. Did you notice he stopped, and started criticizing CKK's supporters for being too aggressive with the MG incident? Warning them they were doing more harm than good for her? Where did we hear that before... We are obviously dealing with a halfwit.
Jester Squad must be a member of the bozo all star team. Critiquing and praising the other clowns posts puts you in a class all your own. Unfortunately it doesn't change the fact that collectively the clown patrol is still just a useless bunch of cowards that can't do anything other than whine and complain on MM.
Clown Patrol, could you just once debate on the issues and facts, and not bloviate nonsense? You calling me a coward for the 100th time bothers me no more and no less than the first time you did. I'm a reasonable person, try to convince me why you know better than me, if you're capable.
I think the better topic would be when and where will Melrose's first sports bar be located? At this point it only seems like a matter of time. Too be honest I figured someone would have grabbed the old RMV on Washington St and converted that. Instead that looks to be a daycare.....awesome. Maybe Caruso's if that lazy, greedy family ever gets their act together. Any other thoughts?
That's a big leap to think Melrose will allow zoning for a sports bar from allowing wine and cheese shops to sell beer and wine and a few smaller restaurants to serve the same...