Dalton Residents Discuss Parking and Zinky's Pub Capacity
DALTON, Mass. — Multiple residents attended last week's Select Board meeting to register complaints about Zinky's Pub on Daly Avenue.
A resident filed a complaint saying the pub is often over capacity, causing dangerous conditions for the residents who live in that area.
The board voted to refer this complaint to its legal counsel KP Law to review and see what within the complaint is a licensing violation and if a public hearing should be held.
This process could take up to eight weeks so resident Deborah Merry asked if she should reach out to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission so it can send an investigator to look into the issue.
"None of us are trying to put Mr. Zink out of business but I think we do agree that our neighborhood should not have to pay the price of subsidizing a business plan that doesn't provide for adequate off street parking," resident Shaun Delaney said.
"The zoning bylaws are in place to protect the character of the town and our neighborhoods. Neighborhoods just like ours. They should be enforced."
It is the bar manager's responsibility to control the crowd on their property but when it comes to people parking on a public street it can be difficult to hold a business responsible, Select Board Chair Joseph Diver said.
At a meeting last month, the board voted to install "No Parking" signs on Daly Avenue.
Since the installation, the parking issues have improved but there are still some people violating the order.
"I have no problem with Mr. Zink having the business there. The problem I have is the cars in the road on both sides. Somebody's going to get really hurt. You guys put those signs up. It helped tremendously. Like everyone knows, people need to learn that there's a, like, a new sheriff in town and you're not going to park there anymore and if you do, you get a ticket, pay the fine and eventually they'll learn that," resident Ted Dipietro said.
"I got nothing against [Zink]. He is doing a great job. I'm sure his business is doing fine. But the parking. I almost had two accidents and I have a truck. So I want to thank you guys for putting the signs up. Very good job."
The Police Department is doing extra checks of the area every day and ticketing the violators.
"I think it's just going to take a little bit of ticket writing, which the officers are doing extra checks down there every day and they are citing so I think it's not going to take long for people to learn not to park there or they are going to be ticketed," Police Chief Deanna Strout said.
Resident Maggie Walto said she has to walk in the middle of the road because customers have been parking on the curb and an "unidentifiable sidewalk." This is especially grievous because her mother has mobility issues due to her Parkinson's, she said.
Walto also requested the board consider installing sidewalks between 55 and 27 Davy Ave. Although the board could not decide on the sidewalk during this meeting, it will be added to a future agenda.
Customers have also been parking in her private parking lot, Merry said. Her landlord installed "No Parking Signs," one of which has been stolen, and has hired a company to tow unauthorized vehicles.
The board said this is not a town issue since it is private property so Merry will need to reach out to her landlord with this complaint.
Zinky's owner Bill Zink said the pub has been very busy but it he has been striving to make improvements and has been in communication with the police chief.
"It's a great place and I do feel bad, I really do, but it's just frustrating from our end because we are really trying," he said.
Prior to the installation of the "No Parking" signs, the pub was putting up its own signs on Friday and Saturday in an effort to prevent street parking, Zink said, adding the permanent signs have been a huge stress release.
Although the pub's staff cannot be outside monitoring parking all night, Zink said they do react when notice someone parking where they are not supposed to. Another issue is that people do not like to use the parking lot because it is small and risks damaging their vehicle, he said.
Zink said he never expected the level of success the pub has had with bringing in a lot of the younger generation and people from other communities.
When there was an incident in the parking lot a few months back, it was decided to hire a bouncer for every Friday and Saturday to improve security and take the pressure off the bartenders.
The pub has also reduced its hours from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m., per the chief's recommendation, and has also started to call last call even earlier. In the bar he put up a sign saying "no shots after 11 p.m.," Zink said.
Diver said he believes that a solution can be found through collaboration between the business, town, and residents and then by navigating that through existing laws.
