A new business, re-imagined festival and a proposal for outdoor seating were all weighed by the Oak Bluffs select board Tuesday as businesses begin to shuffle their strategies, adapting to the fall season.
The board approved a new business and entertainment license for Austin Grande, owner of Bombay Indian restaurant. Formerly located in the Martha’s Vineyard Airport business park, Mr. Grande will move the restaurant to the former location of Sea Smoke on Oakland avenue.
He said he intends to have the restaurant open in about a month, and noted it will operate 365 days a year from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The select board was largely supportive of the business, but encouraged Mr. Grande to establish a strong working relationship with his neighbors. Not included in his application Tuesday, Mr. Grande said he may apply for outdoor seating next year.
“I’d love to pursue it in the spring along with an alcohol license,” he said.
Later in the meeting, the board denied an application for outdoor seating at The Alley bar on Kennebec avenue, after a month-long trial period with 10 outdoor seats brought criticism from neighbors. At a meeting earlier this month, the select board heard complaints from neighbors about the bar largely focusing on the noise that emanates from the tiny establishment.
On Tuesday Howard Miller, a lawyer for owner Kelley Morris, argued that the 10 seats on The Alley’s patio are no different than similar setups at places like Offshore Ale and restaurants on Oak Bluffs harbor.
“The summer community is very much an outdoor activity,” Mr. Miller said. “Particularly so in Oak Bluffs.”
Some members of the select board said the complaints from neighbors about the bar were too loud to ignore, and noted that Ms. Morris should have better coordinated with her neighbors during the trial period.
“Unfortunately, the location isn’t the best for this type of thing,” said board member Gail Barmakian.
Board member Ryan Ruley, the only negative vote in a motion to deny the request for outdoor seating at The Alley, noted that the police had no issues with the bar during the trial period.
“We didn’t have one noise complaint,” he said. “I’d say it’s probably one of the only establishments in town that didn’t have one all summer.”
Mr. Ruley encouraged Ms. Morris to reevaluate her outdoor seating plan and noise mitigation strategy, noting that outdoor seating at the bar may be possible with a revamped approach. Board member Brian Packish recused himself from the discussion.
Also Tuesday, CEO of Innovation Arts and Entertainment Adam Epstein proposed a plan for Oysterfest in Waban Alley Park from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2023, intended to accommodate up to a thousand visitors in the park during ticketed time-slots.
“It’s got a short but successful history,” Mr. Epstein said of the event, created by Nevette Previd “[She] demonstrated a clear proof of concept which we … seek to expand upon.”
Mr. Epstein said the event in the past has been expensive to attend, and he wants to open it up to a broader audience by charging a small fee for entry with paid food and drink inside.
The select board largely supported the event, but opted to put off any approval until Mr. Epstein presents a new plan with input from police, fire, board of health and emergency services.
The board decided to put the event on the agenda for its next meeting, offering Mr. Epstein time to coordinate with town officials.
“I just think this is a real good thing for us to have in our town,” board member Brian Packish said.
Finally Tuesday, the board approved a road closure for Vineyard avenue from 4 to 8 p.m. on Halloween to allow for safe trick-or-treating.
“It’s a tradition in Oak Bluffs that we all know about,” said Mr. Ruley.
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