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Burger King willing to limit Hyde Park closing time to midnight, but board defers vote until after franchisee meets with nearby residents
By adamg on Wed, 01/15/2020 - 10:51am
The Boston Licensing Board said today it would hold off a vote on letting a Burger King franchisee open an outlet on River Street on the Hyde Park/Mattapan line after aides to several elected officials said they could not support the proposal until at least after the franchisee meets with Belnel Road-area residents, who say they don't want to see a burger place open until 2 am. in their backyard.
At a hearing today, a representative for Northeast Foods, LLC said the operator would be willing to amend its proposed closing time to midnight instead of the 2 a.m. it had requested.
But Dave Vittorini, an aide to City Councilor Michelle Wu (at large), said the councilor could not support the proposal because the Belnel Family Neighborhood Association, which represents residents on the Mattapan side of the Shops at Riverwood, is "totally against" a 2 a.m. closing time and that it wants to actually meet with Burger King representatives before changing that stance.
Meetings with neighborhood groups is key part of the process in Boston for licensing and zoning applications - boards often defer action where applicants have yet to meet with neighborhood groups.
Joining Wu in opposition were councilors Ricardo Arroyo (Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale), Annissa Essaibi-George (at large) and state Sen. Nick Collins. A neighborhood liaison for Mayor Walsh did not voice opposition, but did ask the board to defer any action until after Northeast meets with residents.
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Comments
Was the 2am limit for dine-in
Was the 2am limit for dine-in, or drive-through?
The original application didn't specify
Which means that had it been granted, it would have applied to both.
Wu
Good reminder for those that think Wu is the forward-thinking hip progressive she plays on Twitter rather than the old school NIMBY she plays in the community.
Or she listens to constituents?
So the facts presented are:
1) the neighborhood association is against the proposal right now.
2) they might change that opinion if they meet with the BK reps
3) BK wants to get the changes without meeting them.
4) This all could happen after more meetings with local residents, nothing is being barred here.
I don't know to what extent the Belnel FNA is a good or bad or representative org., but if you're a local elected official, those groups matter more than unorganized individuals.
What isn't forward thinking
What isn't forward thinking or progressive?
Representing the interests of Hyde Park/Mattapan? If you are familiar with Boston neighborhoods that sounds like the definition of progressive.
NIMBY is a relevant acronym when it refers to people from the wealthiest tax brackets trying to push all responsiblity on to poorer neighborhoods. Doesn't really fit if you're talking about someone from an underserved neighborhood seeking equity between their neighborhood and others.
NIMBY is a relevant acronym
I don't disagree with the first part of your point but your definition of NIMBY is incorrect. It is not the exclusive domain of the wealthy. They are just the most effective at it for self-evident reasons.
Public need is also an issue
There is a BK on Cummins Hwy in Mattapan and one on Washington Street in Roslindale. Both are like a mile away. Also- people asked for a healthier option.
Poor planning
How do you go to the Licensing Board without meeting with the community first?
Supposedly, they met with
Supposedly, they met with community 5 years ago and it was agreed upon (this was said at Monday’s meeting)
However, things have change
asinine
Never ceases to amaze