Tenoch Mexican opening blocked by city

[keithn.livejournal.com]

The City of Somerville, in their ongoing quest to turn Davis Square into a cluster of abandoned, crumbling buildings, is holding up the opening of Tenoch Mexican, acording to Tenoch's website:

UPDATE: At the June 15, 2015 Somerville City Council meeting, Tenoch was not approved to open our new location at 382 Highland Ave in Davis Square. Come show your support for Tenoch at an informational meeting on Monday, July 13 from 6:30-7:30 at the future Tenoch location at 382 Highland Ave., or at the next Somerville hearing on Monday, July 20 at 6 pm at Town Hall, when we are on the docket again. Help us get our new place up and running and satisfy your torta craving in Davis Square!

From the City's records, this was what was considered by the Licensing Commission on June 15:

Tenoch Mexican Food Corporation d/b/a Tenoch Mexican, 382 Highland Ave. requesting approval for a Wine & Malt 7 Day Restaurant License, a Common Victualler License, an Entertainment License consisting of Entertainment by Performers and Devises and an Alteration of Premises

Comments

[ron_newman]

Out of the Blue was not a neighborhood nuisance.
Alfresco was not a neighborhood nuisance.
M3 was not a neighborhood nuisance (though it was a nuisance to the landlord because of unpaid rent).

I think all of these had liquor licenses.

Going way back, Dolly's/Kay & Chips was a nuisance at times, but it did not have a liquor license. It was open mostly during hours when liquor cannot legally be served, anyway.

I see no "potential nuisance" basis to deny Tenoch a license.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

I was going to bring up this point exactly. I would also add Dolly's had the best 3am steak and eggs ever.

Tenoch would be a huge addition to Davis Square.

[ron_newman]

I forgot Alex Pizza -- also not a nuisance, but it didn't last very long there.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Not sure it's relevant but Al Fresco had wine/beer only. I dunno if that counts as liquor, though I'm sure you will tell me.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

A wine/beer license is all that Tenoch is applying for, too.

[ron_newman]

"beer and wine" and "all forms of alcoholic beverages" are two different categories of license, but the point is that there's a reasonably long history of alcohol-serving restaurants at that corner, which did not cause problems for the neighbors.

[jlauspitz.livejournal.com]

The "experts" on neighborhood problems to whom the boards listen most closely are the actual neighbors, who have been absent from this thread.

[jlauspitz.livejournal.com]

The new element here appears to be the proposed combination of a beer-wine license with a *full* entertainment license, including live performance, under the mistaken assertion (on their website) that they need it to play background music. A full entertainment license would be a first for that location. The owners' will have an opportunity to clarify at the neighborhood meeting.

It would seem obvious that the reason for delay is not that the city is "blocking" them unfairly from opening this summer, or that the licensing commission is "clueless" and overly indulgent to "cranks" (the three commission members, two of whom are lawyers, have been doing this for an average of ten years each) but that the owners have not yet prepared the ground with their future neighbors. They now have a chance to do so on July 13 and to adjust their proposal accordingly.

[ron_newman]

Perhaps the applicant made an error, but I'd love to see more live entertainment venues in Davis Square and throughout Somerville.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but people don't like living next to places with live entertainment, because the entertainment generally goes on till midnight or later.