By Journal Staff
The Revere License Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday,
September 17, in the City Council Chamber. On hand for the session were chair Robert Selevitch and members Daniel Occena and Liliana Monroy.
The first item on the agenda was a request from Dean & Flynn, Inc., d/b/a Fiesta Shows from Seabrook, N.H.,, (John Flynn, manager) for a Carnival License to be exercised at 61 Squire Road, from Wednesday, September 24–Sunday, September 28 from 5 p.m.–11 p.m. on the weekdays, and 1 p.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s been four or five years since we’ve had a carnival here,” said Flynn, who noted that the carnival previously had been held for more than 30 years in the parking lot at the former Showcase Cinemas. “This will be a much-smaller carnival with predominantly children’s rides.”
Flynn noted that if the license is granted, he will still need to seek permits from various city departments as well as obtain police details.
Ward 3 City Councillor Anthony Cogliandro said that he and many area residents are concerned about the traffic issues that will arise by having a carnival “in one of the busiest areas of the city which already is a traffic nightmare. In addition, how are they going to fit a carnival on such a small piece of property?
“Before this license is granted, I want to hear about their security plan and the police details. In addition there was a fire on this property and there is a sign warning about asbestos. I’m not against the carnival, but this is geographically one of the worst spots they could have chosen,” Cogliandro concluded.
Fire Chief James Cullen echoed Cogliandro’s sentiments.
“I am opposed to this location,” said Cullen. “I have concerns with safety in that area and, if there is a traffic jam up that road, about the ability for our fire apparatus to respond to the northern part of the city.”
Cullen also noted that parking will occur in the neighborhood across the highway and he was concerned about the potential for pedestrians to be struck by cars.
Code Enforcement Deputy Fire Chief Paul Cheever also voiced his opposition to the carnival. “I have reviewed their emergency plan, which we implemented after we had some issues in the past,” said Cheever. “Their emergency plans previously were quite detailed and consisted of 16 pages, but this one is only four pages that essentially consists of only excerpts from the previous plans.”
Cheever also noted deficiencies in the diagram of the area, most notably that there will be only one gate, but two are required and Fiesta has had three emergency gates in the past.
“Everything on this property (which was the former Sozio’s appliance store) is ‘hot’ because everything was contaminated by asbestos when the debris was removed after the fire,” Cheever continued. “However, there never has been a 21E done on this site to clarify whether there still is contamination in the soil.”
Police Captain Thomas Malone also spoke against the proposal. “The Police Dept. is not against Fiesta Shows, but we are against having a carnival at this site,” said Malone. “The former location on Squire Rd. at the Showcase was easy for cars to get in and out. But here we have to contend with Brown Circle, which is poorly lit and where there are frequent accidents.
“Unlike their previous location, this area also is completely surrounded by a residential area and there inevitably will be parking in the residential areas from where there is no pedestrian access,” said Malone, who made note of the current traffic issues being caused in the area by the nearby strike action on Charger St.
He also added that here are construction projects in the city which could make it difficult for the Police Dept. to provide sufficient details.
Flynn said he can redo the safety plan and more clearly show the two emergency exits. He also reiterated that this will be a much-smaller event geared to children and Fiesta will have its own security personnel. However, he added that he was unaware of the contamination on the site.
When both Selevitch and Monroy indicated they would be inclined to vote against the license because of the concerns highlighted by the city’s public safety officials, Flynn asked that the commission table the application to give him time to address the issues that had been raised at a later meeting. The commission voted to table the application until its next meeting.
.Next up was an application from Michelle Vanthi Nguyen, d/b/a Brewin’ Café, 311 Broadway, for the transfer of a Common Victualler License from Felicita D’Alelio, with requested seating for 16 and requested hours of operation on Sunday–Saturday from 7 a.m.– 4 p.m.
Ms. Nguyen said she will operate the business as it has been in the past. There were no opponents and the commission unanimously approved the application.
The third item on the agenda was an application from the City of Revere (Rose Burns, event manager) for a 1-day Malt/Wine, Common Victualler & Entertainment License to be exercised at The Yard at Suffolk Downs on Saturday, October 4, from 1 p.m.–6 p.m. for the city’s annual Fall Festival. The expected attendance is 2500.
Ms. Burns said that the alcohol will be provided by Twisted Fate, the brewery that already iis at the Suffolk Downs location. She also said that the event previously has been held at City Hall and this will be the first time it will be held at Suffolk downs.
There were no opponents and the commissioners voted to issue the license.
The fourth matter was an application from Todd R. Angilly (event manager) for a 1-day Common Victualler and Entertainment License to be exercised in the parking
lot at 649 Squire Road (the Boston Harley dealership) on Saturday, October 18, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. for activities surrounding a motorcycle ride.
The ride will start and end at the dealership, traversing through Lynn, Saugus, Wakefield, Melrose, and Malden, and will raise funds for four organizations, including the Ray Bourque Foundation, the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Thomas Smith Foundation, and the Mass. Professional FireFighters Assoc.. The expected attendance is 400, of which about 200 will be riders.
“There will be food trucks, a DJ, and a musical trio. This will be a family-friendly event and no alcohol will be served,” Angilly said.
There were no opponents and the commissioners approved the application.
Next up was an application from Colwen Management, Inc., d/b/a Staybridge Suites/Holiday Inn Express, 245 Revere Beach Parkway (Desiree A. Iuliano, manager) for a Change of Manager from Cynthia Baysic.
Attorney Kevin Butler from McDemott, Quilty, and Miller in Boston presented the application. He noted that Ms. Iuliano has been in the industry for two decades and has been vetted by the ABCC as the manager for the Holiday Inn Express in Cambridge without incident or violation. He said there will be no change in the operations.
There were no opponents and the commissioners unanimously approved the application.
The sixth matter was an application from Ocean King, Inc., d/b/a Ocean King, 320 Revere Beach Boulevard (Jinbo Lin, manager) for an All Alcohol Restaurant License to be exercised at 320 Revere Beach Boulevard with requested hours from Sunday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–12 a.m. and Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–1 a.m. with requested seating for 86 and requested entertainment of Widescreen Cable TV and Radio.
Mr. Lin presented the application, noting that he has many years of experience in the business. He said he has operated similar restaurants in Boston and nearby communities and has been voted the best sushi restaurant in Boston.
Mr. Lin said he is hoping to open the business within a couple of months.
Occena noted however, that although Mr. Lin may have experience in the food business, there was no indication that he is TIPS-certified in order to be able to serve alcohol. The commissioners then voted to continue the hearing until Mr. Lin can show evidence of TIPS-certification at its October 15 meeting.
