Medford liquor license loosening gains initial approval

The Medford City Council approved a change in its liquor license law last night that will make it possible for restaurants seating at least 99 people to obtain an all-liquor license -- a change from the previous minimum of 250 seats.

Due to the council's use of a "home rule petition," however, the law will not be enacted until the state legislature passes it, which could take a while, according to Tom Convery, president of the Salem Business Street Association. "They are backed up with budget issues -- it could be May or June, and then they go on summer break," he said.

Under normal procedures, the city council passes legislation through a public ballot, but it decided to use the home rule petition since "there was such strong public sentiment" in favor of the change, according to City Solicitor Mark Rumley. No citizens voiced concerns at the meetings Rumley attended concerning the legislation, he said.

Several nationwide food chains that are looking to open shops in the area, including Applebees and South of the Border, would be encouraged by the law's passage, according to Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn. In addition, Medford's "liquor laws are antiquated" and need to be revised to help the city develop, McGlynn said.

Convery said that he was "all for it" since the policy change would bring a great deal of business to Medford, but would have preferred to see the proposal taken to a ballot.

"Many Medford residents are going to other towns like Arlington and Winchester to go out," a situation that needs to be changed, Convery said. He is hopeful that the policy change will turn this flow around and draw residents from neighboring towns into Medford.

Currently, there is a law on record that allows bistros and small restaurants in Medford with only 19 seats to serve beer and wine, though only six restaurants in the area have these licenses. The advantage of the new legislation is that it would allow full liquor permits, which includes the right to serve hard alcohol.

The revised seating minimum liquor law will still not allow bars or taverns to exist in Medford, however, as the legislation does not remove the requirement for food service and seating in licensed establishments.

The initial 250 seat legislation, which dates back to 1977, was specifically designed to prevent bars and taverns from opening. At the time, there was an aversion to liquor in Medford due to a shooting at a bar that followed an attack on a police officer, according to Convery, who sat on the hearing committee for the initial legislation. But people drink more responsibly now, and they are more careful about alcohol abuse, he said.

The Wellington Circle development, which is part of Medford, has a special zoning regulation for liquor permits, however. On what is known as Lot 38, owners can petition for an all-liquor license or an innkeepers' permit, which allows for alcohol to be delivered via room service.

Though there is currently no hotel in Wellington Circle, this provision may come in handy when a proposed hotel is built. But the law for Lot 38 is the result of an entirely different legislation process than the one currently going on in Medford, according to Rumley.