image description
David LeClair says the only compromise to be made is to keep the music inside.

Pittsfield Licensing Board Tries to Find Compromise Between Eatery, Neighbors

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

A half-dozen residents raised objections to the entertainment license.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Licensing Board is giving a West Housatonic Street restaurant a shot at having live music, despite pleas from the neighbors.
 
Roasted Garlic owner Mickey Soldato requested an entertainment license to have acoustic musicians perform on the outdoor patio a couple nights a week.
 
Soldato says the hope is to grow the business, including with later evening patrons, by providing more music. However, those who live on Gale Avenue have heard it before and say it was a nuisance. 
 
In 2010, the owners of Fresco's, which is in the same location, put on a concert that upset many in the neighborhood. In hearing the new owners were going to get a license, a group of residents attempted to nip any problems in the bud. 
 
"Peace and quiet time is at a premium," said Gale Avenue resident Dennis Lattizzori. "I'm not going to close my windows for that restaurant or any others during the summer ... . This is a quality of life issue."
 
Lattizzori was joined by a half dozen other residents in opposition to the permit. The application included all nights, and entertainment from a DJ up to a seven-piece band. Soldato said the plans are not to have bands every night but rather a solo acoustic artist or duo one or two nights a week.
 
He hoped to be allowed to go until last call, at 1 a.m., but said mostly it would end at 11. The Licensing Board pared that back even further and issued the permit only from 5 until 9 p.m. 
 
The board granted the permit on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights until 9 p.m. and added restrictions that the music is acoustic (though the acoustic guitar may be amped) and disallowed DJs and full bands. The board wants to see both the neighbors and Soldato in July to assess the impacts.
 
"This is a chance to see if there can be a compromise between the people of the neighborhood and the business. That is our hope. It may not happen," Chairman Carmen Massimiano said.
 
The residents, however, don't see a compromise. Gale Avenue resident David LeClair said while he understands businesses have rights, the business also needs to respect the residents in the area as well. He said the only solution would be to have the entertainment inside. Soldato says he doesn't have the space and the acoustics aren't very good in there.
 
"There is not much of a midpoint because once they are outside, you are going to hear it," Lattizzori said.
 
Massimiano tried to calm the audience, saying Soldato has a good reputation and should be given a shot. 
 
"Reputation has a lot to do with it and this man and his businesses have a good reputation," he said.
 
But the neighbors scoffed at the issuance of the permit. The board wants and update in a month and Soldato says he will try to work with the residents to ease noise. 
 
"We would be willing to be under tight watch and if there are any complaints for the neighbors we'd stop doing it," Soldato said.
 
Soldato says he "doesn't want to create enemies" but that the same time he feels "we are being unfairly judged because of the previous owners."
 

The Licensing Board gave the owner of the former Debbie Wong until the end of June to sell the license. He didn't so the board opted to cancel it.
In other business, the board canceled the liquor license for the former Debbie Wong's Restaurant. Last month, the board said it would do exactly that if owner John Herbert didn't show up at the next meeting without a purchase and sales agreement. Herbert didn't show up at all.
 
"He made no indication that he had an update that would be positive. He just said he wouldn't be here," Massimiano said.
 
The board has previously given him until the end of June to sell the license, which has gone unused since the restaurant closed in 2013. Herbert owns the property and the license was transferred to his name. But, in three years he has yet to find a tenant or buyer for the property or to be able to sell the license individually.
 
The cancellation means the city no longer has that permit to offer, which was to the disliking of the board. Board members say there are restaurant looking to open in Pittsfield and wanting a license, so it seems unfathomable that Herbert couldn't find a buyer for the license.
 
But, it's been years and Herbert has appeared before the board numerous times saying he was trying to sell it to no avail.
 
"We've gone the extra mile for him and I find that the board is doing the right thing," Richard Stockwell, who felt Herbert should have at least sent a representative, said.
 
Herbert does have a chance to appeal the cancellation.

Tags: alcohol license,   entertainment license,   licensing board,   music,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories