Hope for two o'clock liquor licenses dims

Somerville bars face bleak prospects of being granted a one-hour extension for last call.

Although Somerville's Licensing Commission voted last month to accept applications for liquor licenses that would be valid until 2 a.m., commission Chairman Ray Trant said "just because we approved the acceptance of applications doesn't mean anyone will get the extension."

Six bars have already applied for the new license: The Independent, Toast Lounge, Johnny D's, Club Choice, P.J. Ryan's, and Good Time Emporium.

Trant said that the Commission intends to take "public need" into account as it makes decisions about the applications. "If people came expressing concerns we would listen to them," he said. A public hearing will be held at which the Commission reviews the applications. Although the date has not yet been set, it is expected to occur this month.

Somerville residents in particular are concerned about extending last call. Although businesses have been lauding the extension as putting Somerville on an even playing ground surrounding cities which have last calls at 2 a.m. on weekends, residents seem largely opposed to it. Alderman Jack Connolly of Ward 6, which includes Ball Square and Davis Square, says he has been inundated with calls from citizens protesting the proposed licenses.

The Board of Aldermen itself has vocally opposed to the extension as well.

At a meeting last week, the Board unanimously accepted two resolutions put forward by Alderman Connolly and Vice President of the Board Bruce Desmond.

The first resolution is a request to the Licensing Commission to not grant the 2 a.m. licenses to businesses within 100 yards of residences. This addresses the concern of nearly all of the aldermen, who believe that extending last calls would disrupt the quality of life for residents who live near bars. If adopted by the Commission, the resolution would eliminate nearly all license applicants, except for Good Time Emporium.

The second resolution asks the Licensing Commission to move the public review of the applications from the police station to City Hall. This, said Connolly, is a way to establish more of an open forum, which more residents will be able to attend. He hopes that the presence and arguments of residents at the meeting will make the Board's points more salient to the Commission.

The Board's stance is that enabling people to be out drinking for an extra hour will cause public safety issues for the city. "I live in this area and I know that people are woken up all the time by people who go to the bars," Connolly told the Daily in March. He and many other aldermen called the extension "unfair."

In addition, Connolly objects to the fact that this extension will bring customers from other towns to the area. "I'd much rather serve a clientele who lives nearby, since they will be more respectful to neighbors," he said.

Connolly also cited a letter from Somerville Police Department (SPD) Chief George McLean to the Licensing Commission last month, in which he said that the SPD does not have the resources or manpower to conduct the extra policing the extension will require.

"There is little doubt in my mind that 2 a.m. closing will translate into more business for bars; it also translates into more 'business' for the police," he wrote. "Bars can hire more people immediately to handle their increase in business, we cannot."

Several bar owners have argued that they would ensure that the comfort of the neighborhood is preserved. Yet, aldermen doubt that this promise could be upheld. Desmond said that "even the best bar managers in the city cannot manage patrons who are unruly."

Alderman Walter Pero of Ward 4 invoked Somerville's reputation as a fairly safe community in order to argue against the extension. "People look at Somerville very differently than they did a generation ago," he said. "Because of the pride I have in this community I don't know why anyone would want this to happen."

Alderman Bob Trane of Ward 7 was the only one to express some concern over the resolutions. If restrictions are imposed on the granting of the licenses, he said, all bar owners who do not receive a license may sue the city. "If the city gets a court order to grant the licenses we will lose all control," he said.

Trant said, however, that the Commission is already writing up definite guidelines for granting the licenses. "We share the same concerns that the Aldermen do," he said.

Connolly hopes that the Commission will focus on what he thinks is the larger issue within the controversy over licenses. "The main question here is, how will the citizens of Somerville benefit from this?" he said.

Business owners are playing it by ear. Choices owner Victor Ortiz is doubtful he will get a license, but said it is important that bar owners are making their argument heard. "Right now, [the city is] just killing business," he said.