ZBA approves Armory special permit
Oct. 17th, 2012 11:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ron_newman posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
davis_squareThe Zoning Board of Appeal tonight approved the special permit application for the Armory. The meeting started at 6 pm, with the Armory first on the agenda; the final vote occurred at 10:26 pm.
The special permit conditions are long and complex, and I didn't take detailed notes. But the most important things are:
- The Armory and its cafe may open at 7 am, instead of the current 8 am
- Sunday through Thursday nights, performances must end by 11:15 pm, with all attendees leaving by 11:30 pm
- Friday and Saturday nights (and Sunday nights before a Monday holiday), performances must end by 12:45 am, with all attendees leaving by 1 am
- Outdoor cafe seating is allowed, but only until 8 pm. There will be no table service or alcoholic beverage drinking outdoors.
- No outdoor events are allowed in the parking lot, except for farmers' markets and farm share pickup
- The Armory may now apply for a full liquor license (they currently have a beer and wine license). This will be a whole separate process, with its own public hearing, before a different body (the Licensing Commission).
- Permissions for extended hours and amplified music are effective only for Arts at the Armory or a successor arts-oriented non-profit; they do not transfer to the landlord or any other tenant if Arts at the Armory goes out of business
I left right after the Armory vote, so I don't know if the ZBA got around to dealing with the Pinkberry and Painted Burro special permit requests. The ZBA chair declared an 11 pm curfew on the meeting, which would not have left much time for other business. ETA: Painted Burro was approved; Pinkberry deferred until November 7.
ETA: I believe the special permit also includes some increases in capacity, allowing up to 495 people in the main performance hall, but only for a limited number of events each week and month. The Armory will have to provide a shuttle bus to Davis Square station for any such 'full capacity' event.
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no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 12:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 12:52 pm (UTC)In a few days, the final decision will probably be available on the city Planning and Zoning web page (as "191 Highland Avenue"). I'll link to that once it's available.
ETA: the final Planning Staff report contained this recommendation. I think the ZBA left it unchanged in their final decision:
"private functions such as weddings, parties and
bar mitzvahs as accessory events. The maximum
number of private functions is limited to 25% of
the total number of café and performance hall
events and shall not exceed 50 events in a
calendar year."
no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 01:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 01:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:33 pm (UTC)It looks like there is a max cap of (on average) one per week (based on 'shall not exceed 50 events in a calendar year'; however, there is the lower cap of 25% of the total number of café and performance hall events.
It appears quite simple that the intent on the part of the ZBA is that it not turn into a generic function hall.
Having seen how use of a building as a function hall has worked in another town, and the noise and spill-over issues which disturbed the abutters, which are valid concerns regardless of who owns/operates the hall, this seems like a reasonable precaution, considering that the stated intent at the beginning of this entire process was that the Armory be an arts venue.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:39 pm (UTC)(I'm curious what building in what other town, if you're willing and able to disclose that.)
no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:54 pm (UTC)I'm not, considering the vitriol I have received for support of other organizations in this town, compared to my attitudes regarding this issue.
In all, I have attempted to be consistent - if someone was playing hinky with rules, getting them changed after the fact, that's been my issue all along.
On the other hall, other town, similar to the Armory saying it needs outside events to stay afloat financially, this is an issue for many groups which own buildings that could have multi-use including function halls ... unfortunately, the people who rent the halls tend not to give a flying fig about their impact in the neighborhood, as they only need the site once, whereas the hall operators have to "live there" ... we've even seen that with some who have rented the VFW (wasn't it a bday party for a local cop?) ... it's not the venue's fault, specifically, but it is the venue's responsibility.
It's how the other hall I'm thinking of lost its ability to host any non-member event, and thus, the operators lost the building, as they couldn't afford to operate it without outside events.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-18 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-20 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-20 08:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-10-21 07:55 am (UTC)Well there is 1 listing but I don't believe it is the one I originally found; pretty cheap but I assume the location has its challenges.