The owner of at least one food establishment in town would seek a beer and wine license if the option became available to him. With just 20 seats, his restaurant isn’t currently eligible to apply for one.
“It’s a value add,” said Rémon Karian, founder and CEO of Fiorella’s Trattoria, an Italian eatery on Belmont Street. “Our guests would really appreciate it. … A lot of times, people might choose a different place based on us not having that option.”
It’s “silly” for customers not to have the option to order an alcoholic beverage with their meal, he said.
“Wine goes really well with our food,” he said.
Last month, Town Meeting considered a citizen petition that would eliminate seating capacity requirements for all-alcohol licenses, increase the number of licenses available, and modify policies to simplify eligibility requirements. The article passed 189-6, with 5 abstentions.
Effectively, the article authorizes the Select Board to file a Home Rule petition with the Massachusetts Legislature “so as to expand eligibility for restaurants and simplify the application process for restaurants, the Select Board, and the staff,” according to Carol Berberian, who filed the citizen petition along with resident Max Colice. In coming months, town counsel will help the Select Board draft the Home Rule petition.
“I was so thrilled with the overwhelming support,” Berberian said. “There were a few no votes and I definitely understand that, but I was really really happy that town meeting saw the value that Max and I did when we presented it.”
The language of the petition was intentionally vague to allow the Select Board to discuss which policies are in need of modifying, Berberian said. According to the town’s rules and regulations for alcoholic beverages, some current policies relevant to the sale of alcohol in restaurants include: requiring the use of reusable dinnerware and silverware; requiring the service of food (a full meal, as opposed to snacks) in all areas where alcohol beverages are being served; and not allowing alcoholic beverages to be served over a counter with seating, unless that counter offers full food service.
“In Belmont, the Select Board is our local licensing authority,” Berberian explained. “So, the Select Board gets to set the rules on what is required to have a liquor license for Belmont.”
At a recent Select Board meeting, Chair Matt Taylor said he wished there had been more discussion at Town Meeting on an initiative he considered to be “a good idea.”
“There are things in our policies that could clearly be updated but … I’d love to hear from more residents on this who’ve seen the before and after [opening up Belmont to alcohol/liquor licenses],” he said.
Town Administrator Patrice Garvin noted that scheduling such discussions likely won’t happen until November, with other pressing matters before the board, including the budget and Belmont Center Overlay project which will be discussed at a fall special Town Meeting.
According to the town, Belmont has five different types of annual licenses: all-alcohol retail license (four allowed in town, zero available); wine and beer retail license (six allowed in town, four available); all-alcohol restaurant license (eight allowed in town, four available); and finally, wine and beer restaurant license (16 allowed in town, 12 available). The town also allows two club licenses, both of which are in use.
For some restaurant owners, application costs may be a deterrent to applying for a license, for others, the cost of insurance. Taylor noted it could also be the added responsibility of training and compliance checks associated with such licenses.
“There are many businesses in town that do have the opportunity to apply for these types of licenses, but they don’t because of the restrictions you talked about,” Garvin said.
Berberian said that while the town has managed to attract a wide variety of restaurants in the two decades since licenses became available, the current rules and regulations don’t necessarily encourage smaller restaurants to open in Belmont.
“We did OK with how we introduced liquor licenses in town, and I think it’s a good opportunity to take another step further and open a few opportunities,” she said.
Karian, of Fiorella’s on Belmont Street — whose other five restaurant locations have licenses to sell alcohol — said it’s great to see Belmont considering a change to its liquor license regulations.
“It’s a great option to provide for the economic vitality of the community,” he said. “I’m excited about the potential that can bring to us.”