Longtime summer resident and restaurateur Patrick Lyons appeared before the Tisbury planning board this week to present his proposal for a Mexican restaurant at the Stone Bank property in Vineyard Haven.
Mr. Lyons, who owns Back Door Donuts in Oak Bluffs and more than 40 restaurants in the Boston area and elsewhere, told the board the downtown restaurant on Union and Main streets would be a simple taqueria.
“We’re playing with the name [and] the brand,” he said Wednesday evening, adding that he’s calling it Locals Only for now.
The restaurant is planned to be part of developer Sam Dunn’s mixed-use complex under construction at the former Santander bank property. The taqueria was added to the project after the proposed development already received its 2021 approval from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
Because the original decision was for apartments, retail and office space only, the restaurant first required a modification hearing before the commission, which began last December.
Commissioners voted 7-3 in mid-February to approve the 70-seat, outdoor restaurant and bar, but left a number of details — such as hours of operation, alcohol service, noise and lighting — for town officials to decide.
On Wednesday, Tisbury planning board members questioned Mr. Lyons on the taqueria’s environmental practices and discussed opening and closing times, among other details of the proposed operation.
His company is committed to using biodegradable service wares and other sustainability measures, the restaurateur said.
“It’s enlightened self-interest for us to try to figure out a way that we can use reusable containers,” Mr. Lyons said.
His preferred hours of service would be 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., he told the planning board.
Board member Connie Alexander expressed qualms about the late closing time, but member Elaine Miller said it would fill the gap in downtown nightlife that comes after the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse lets out around 9 p.m.
“We’d like to stroll our Main street after that. It would be pleasant. But we don’t, because nothing is open,” Ms. Miller said.
After speaking with Mr. Lyons, the board voted to close the taqueria hearing and keep the written record open until 5:30 p.m. April 17.
Planning board deliberations on the taqueria are set to begin April 19 at 6:30 p.m.
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