Petition for More Liquor Licenses to be in Front of Town Meeting

Town Meeting members will vote on a warrant article authorizing the Board of Selectmen to petition the state general court for 14 additional liquor licenses for businesses in town. 

The article was put forward by Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member Sonia Rollins. It is also supported by the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce, of which Rollins is the chairperson, and members came out to show support during a Board of Selectmen meeting last month. 

The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 to recommend the passage of the article. Selectman Daniel Grattan was not at the meeting. 

The liquor licenses would be for restaurants and establishments where people only drink on the premises. They would not be for package stores. 12 of the licenses would be for all alcohol beverages and two would be for the sale of wine and malt beverages. 

There are also location conditions on some of the licenses. Three of the licenses would be for locations at the Burlington Mall, three would be for New England Executive Park and two would be for 20 South Avenue, the location of the AMC Theater. 

The members of the board said they thought the licenses would help with economic development. 

"I appreciate you all coming tonight and offering your positive and genuine views on economic development," Selectman Ralph Patuto said. "I agree with you 100 percent and I support this endeavor."

What do you think? Should Town Meeting support this article? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.  

Read the full text of the article below: 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding Section 17 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws, the licensing authority of the Town of Burlington may grant twelve (12) licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises under Section 12 of said Chapter 138. The licenses shall be subject to all of said Chapter 138, except Section 17.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 17 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws, the licensing authority of the Town of Burlington may grant two (2) licenses for the sale of wines and malt beverages to be drunk on the premises under Section 12 of said Chapter 138. The licenses shall be subject to all of said Chapter 138, except Section 17.

SECTION 3. The licensing authority of the Town of Burlington shall restrict the licenses granted under Sections 1 and 2 of this Act as to number and to persons, corporations, organizations, and entities located in the following locations:

1. (a)  Three (3) licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on premises to be available for the property know as and comprising the “Burlington Mall”;

2. (b)  Three (3) licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on premises to the development presently known as and comprising “New England Executive Park”;

3. (c)  Two (2) licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on premises to the development presently known as 20 South Avenue which presently contains a multi-screen theatre complex, and vacant parking lot area; and

1. (d)  Four (4) licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on premises and two (2) licenses for the sale of wines and malt liquors to be drunk on premises zoned General Industrial (IG); Planned Development District (PDD) or General Business (GB) under the Town of Burlington Zoning By-Laws located within 2,000 feet of a limited access highway which for purposes of this Act shall mean a roadway under federal and/or state jurisdiction where access is limited to certain interchange locations. Only Route 3 and Route 128/95 qualify as limited access highways for purposes of this Act.

(The properties identified in subparagraph (a) – (d) above being referred to in this Act as a “Permitted Location”.)

SECTION 4. Licenses issued pursuant to this Act shall be non-transferrable to any other locations, persons, corporations, organizations, or entities, except that licenses issued pursuant to this Act shall be transferable by any person, corporation, organization, or entity located within any Permitted Location to any other person, corporation, organization, or entity located within the same Permitted Location, solely for use within the Permitted Location subject to the limitation as to the maximum number for each individual Permitted Location. Any transfer in violation of this Act shall render said license null and void.

SECTION 5. Notwithstanding Sections 12 and 77 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws, the licensing authority of the Town of Burlington may restrict the licenses issued pursuant to this Act to holders of common victualler licenses.

SECTION 6. The licenses granted under this Act, if revoked or no longer in use, shall be returned physically, with all of the legal rights and privileges pertaining thereto, to the licensing authority and may be granted by the licensing authority of the Town of Burlington to new applicants that are persons, corporations, organizations, or entities located in the applicable Permitted Location, solely for use within the same Permitted Location subject to the limitation as to number for each individual Permitted Location.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.