It’s been a week since the Massachusetts Senate passed an economic development package that contains a provision to help Boston’s bar and restaurant scene thrive. Perhaps even better is that the amendment would provide the city with an extra 150 new liquor licenses to invigorate local commerce, particularly in the food and restaurant industry.
Should the bill be enacted, though, it’s not like the City of Boston will be haphazardly doling out licenses the way people on parade floats lob candies to young children. This would take place in increments, with 50 new licenses being awarded each year for a three-year period according to Senate bill 2241.
Of the 50 licenses per year, 25 would be deemed non-transferable ,which, according to Massachusetts General Law, means a license cannot be transferred from an establishment’s specified “location or between persons or change of a description of the licensed premises.”
Of those, 20 licenses would allow for the sale of all alcohol including beer, wine and liquor. The other five licenses would be specific to wine and malt sale only.
The remaining 25 licenses would not only be non-transferable as well, but would be restricted to “main street districts, urban renewal areas, empowerment zones or municipal harbor plan areas.” Boston currently has 20 Main Streets Districts courtesy of the Department of Neighborhood Development.
As is the case with the previously mentioned 25 licenses, 20 will be specified for all alcohol and the other five for just wine and malts.
The previous attempt by the Walsh administration, in tandem with state Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, to extend liquor service and uncap the liquor license quota in the form of a budgetary amendment wasn’t even considered by the House. A House and Senate approved budget lacking the amendment has since been passed along to Governor Deval Patrick’s desk for signage.
The amendment was unable to gain any traction in the House because, as Representative Mike Moran conveyed to BostInno, some felt that the measure didn’t adequately address which Boston neighborhoods would receive the bulk of the licenses.
According to MassLive, 20 percent of Boston liquor licenses are for establishments in the North End and Back Bay and “only 12 of the city’s 1,044 liquor licenses are held by establishments in Mattapan and Roxbury.”
Subtly, the economic development package addresses this issue. Half of the annual licenses are designated specifically for areas like Main Streets Districts. Neither the North End nor Back Bay are serviced by Main Streets Districts, urban renewal areas, empowerment zones or municipal harbor plan areas, meaning they’ll be exempt from at least half of the issued licenses.
Dorchester, for example, has six Main Streets Districts, Roxbury has three and Mattapan has one.
It’s important to note, though, that the issuance of the licenses would follow the same standard community practice as outlined by Massachusetts General Law, meaning placement would still be contingent on certain state regulations.
BostInno confirmed with Speaker of the House Bob DeLeo’s office that the package will be examined by a conference committee. Stay tuned to BostInno for more information on who will comprise the committee and where the bill will go from there.
Know of a Boston locale that could benefit from a liquor license? Have an opinion on this issue one way or the other? Feel free to share your thoughts and drop some knowledge in the comments section below.
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