Pawtucket Board of License Commissioners

November 21, 2023

 

 

A regular session of the Pawtucket Board of License Commissioners was held Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 7:28 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI.

 

Present – President Mercer, Councilors Coderre, Gregor, Moran, Moreno, Rubio, Stachowiak and Wildenhain.

 

Absent – Councilor Araujo.

 

Chairperson Mercer presided.

 

 

The reading of the records of November 8, 2023 was dispensed with and the records were APPROVED as prepared by the Clerk,

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Rubio, seconded by Councilor Wildenhain, the *Consent Agenda was APPROVED, on a unanimous voice vote.

 

*THE FOLLOWING PETITIONS FOR LICENSES WERE APPROVED ON A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE:

 

 VICTUALLING HOUSE First Class Renewals -

 

54 Southern Café (54 Southern Café LLC) 54 Sabin St. LIC#14502

All in One Market (C & J Trading Inc.) 454 Pawtucket Ave. LIC#11769

Cakes By Eboni (Cakes by Eboni, LLC) 560 Mineral Spring Ave. Unit#2-161, LIC#15026

Central Avenue Bakery (Alves & Sons Bakery LLC) 679 Central Ave.  LIC#11935

Darlington Market (3 Star Inc.) 614 Central Ave. LIC#14658

Domino's Pizza (Dufficy Enterprises Inc.) 484 Newport Ave. LIC#4047

Dunkin Donuts (Blackstone Donuts Inc.) 109 East St. LIC#4757 OPEN 24 HOURS

Dunkin Donuts (Cottage Street Donuts Inc.) 372 Cottage St. LIC#7712

Dunkin Donuts (R.J.W. Enterprises Inc.) 337 Armistice Blvd. LIC#3537 OPEN 24 HOURS – DRIVE THRU ONLY   

Five Corners Pizza (Saint Mark Inc.) 11 Benefit St. LIC#15033

Ming’s Sando Bar (Ming’s Asian Street Food LLC) 560 Mineral Spring Ave. LIC#15021

Pizza Hut #40588 (Tasty Hut Northeast, LLC) 1242 Newport Ave. LIC#15498

Right Spot Restaurant (Right Spot Restaurant Inc.) 200 South Bend St. LIC#3541

Step up Nutrition (Costa, Francisco) 30 East Ave. LIC#14291

Sunoco (A.S.H. LLC) 81 School St. LIC#7880

Town Mart (D & H Mini Mart Inc.) 885 Newport Ave. LIC#14898

 

VICTUALLING HOUSE Second Class Renewals -

 

Every Body’s Nutrition (Gomes, Joao) 509 Armistice Blvd. LIC#14220

Local Hero (A.E.E. Inc.) 4 Power Rd. LIC#3694

 

 

 

THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONTINUED AND APPLICATION FOR LICENSE WAS POSTPONED AT THE MEETING HELD NOVEMBER 8, 2023, AND WAS AGAIN TAKEN UP:

 

CLASS A Renewal -

 

International Liquors (Island Liquors Inc.) 915 Main St. LIC#15202

 

There were no speakers. The hearing was closed.

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR GREGOR.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Gregor, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the following license renewal was APPROVED on a unanimous voice vote:

 

CLASS A Renewal -

 

International Liquors (Island Liquors Inc.) 915 Main St. LIC#15202

 

 

A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FOLLOWING APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE, WHICH WAS ADVERTISED FOR A HEARING AT THIS TIME, WAS TAKEN UP:

 

CLASS B (VICTUALLER) New –

 

JS Brothers Restaurant (JS Brothers Restaurant Inc.) 169 Benefit Street, LIC#16107®

 

Speaking was Jose Jacome, 26 Capital Street, Pawtucket, RI, applicant.

 

Mr. Jacome has worked in the restaurant business for many years.

 

He bought the business a year ago. He would like to add liquor.

 

The hours will be from 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Tuesday thru Sunday.

 

He has six employees.  He has six parking spots in his lease and four added spaces available.

 

Mr. Jacome was a head chef for 17 years.

 

 

Speaking in opposition was Suzan Bourgault, 8 Ordway Street, Pawtucket, RI.

 

Ms. Bourgault stated that she opposes the liquor license.  There already is a bar across the street, and she is concerned about the hours going beyond 9:00 p.m.

 

There is not enough parking.

 

She doesn’t want another liquor establishment near her.

 

 

Speaking in opposition is Martin Bourgault, 8 Ordway Street, Pawtucket, RI.

 

Mr. Bourgault has lived in this neighborhood for 60 years.

 

There have been problems at Ordway Pub.

 

He stated that this new bar is too close to a school. There is noise there at night; and not enough parking.

 

 

Speaking in opposition is Joao Gomes, 167 Benefit Street.

 

Mr. Gomes stated that there are problems with Ordway Café.

 

He owns a fish market and two houses nearby.

 

There is no parking at JS Brothers Restaurant.

 

People pee in his (fish market) parking lot.

 

He has called the police, but they don’t respond.

 

He doesn’t want liquor there.

 

 

Mr. Jacome stated that he has a system.  He cleans outside three times per week.

 

He stated that he is not interested to operating past 9:00 p.m.  He has cameras around restaurant. He has six spots on the lot.  He works to keep things safe.

 

 

Mr. Bourgault stated that they don’t need a liquor license to serve dinners, He noted that there are already four liquor licenses in the area, and that this is too close to a school.

 

There were no other speakers. The hearing was closed.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR MORAN.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Moran, seconded by Councilor Moreno, the following license was APPROVED with the following stipulation, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

STIPULATION.

Must close at 9:00 p.m., last call at 8:45 p.m., and customers must be gone by 9:20 p.m.

 

CLASS B (VICTUALLER) New –

 

JS Brothers Restaurant (JS Brothers Restaurant Inc.) 169 Benefit Street, LIC#16107®

 

 

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR RUBIO.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Rubio, seconded by Councilor Moran, the agenda was amended to include the following communication, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

Communication from Carl Johnson, Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement, to the Honorable Pawtucket City Council. (Follow up - 245 Esten Avenue)

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Rubio, seconded by Councilor Moran, the following communication was READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

Communication from Carl Johnson, Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement, to the Honorable Pawtucket City Council. (Follow up - 245 Esten Avenue)

 

 

 

THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONTINUED AND APPLICATION FOR LICENSE WAS POSTPONED AT THE MEETINGS HELD OCTOBER 25, 2023, AND NOVEMBER 8, 2023, AND WAS AGAIN TAKEN UP:

 

CLASS B (VICTUALLER) New –

 

Zero Hora Lounge (Zero Hora LLC) 245 Esten Avenue, Unit D, LIC#16088®

 

Speaking is Aurelio Lopes, 27 Whitman Street, Pawtucket, RI, applicant.

 

Mr. Lopes stated that he has been working to implement the changes that the Fire Department told him to.  He is working to put in the handicapped exit.  He has been in touch with architect on it.

 

He stated that the fight Councilor Gregor mentioned was not from his party.  His party was for a 16-year-old daughter, which ended at 11:00 p.m.

 

No one told him that he could not use the unit. He knows about it now.

 

There were no other speakers. The hearing was closed.

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED COUNCILOR GREGOR.

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Gregor, seconded by Councilor Moreno, the following license was DENIED upon recommendation of the Zoning Director, on a unanimous voice vote:

 

CLASS B (VICTUALLER) New –

 

Zero Hora Lounge (Zero Hora LLC) 245 Esten Avenue, Unit D, LIC#16088®

 

 

 

THE FOLLOWING PETITION FOR LICENSE WAS POSTPOINED AT THE MEEINGS HELD ON OCTOBER 25, 2023, NOVEMBER 8, 2023, AND WAS AGAIN TAKEN UP AND WAS WITHDRAWN AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT.

 

VICTUALLING HOUSE First Class New -

 

Zero Hora Lounge (Zero Hora LLC) 245 Esten Avenue, Unit D, LIC#16090

 

 

 

Communication from Captain Kenneth Dolan, Pawtucket Police, to the Pawtucket City Council, Board of License Commissioners. (Café Ordway, 3 Ordway Street – Call log) was READ AND ORDERED FILED.

 

 

Communication from Deborah J. Stebenne, Member of Café Ordway (Neptune LLC) 3 Ordway Street, to Honorable Members of the Pawtucket City Council, Board of License Commissioners. (Requesting to remove stipulation – No Entertainment).

 

STIPULATION TO BE REMOVED.

1.     No Entertainment

 

THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MORAN

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Moran, seconded by Councilor Rubio, the following stipulation on the Class B (Victualer) liquor license of Café Ordway, 3 Ordway Street, is AMENDED to read as follows:

 

STIPULATION TO BE AMENDED.

1.     No Entertainment

1.     Entertainment to end at 11:00 p.m.  (Must be reviewed in 6 months)

 

 

 

Upon motion made by Councilor Rubio, seconded by Councilor Wildenhain, the meeting was adjourned at 8:18 p.m.