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If you really like Tasty Burger, don't stand in front of its South Boston location with a beer next St. Patrick's Day, 'kay?

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday handed a warning to the Tasty Burger on L Street for the beer-holding people Boston Police detectives said they found loitering outside its pick-up window during the St. Patrick's Day parade this year.

BPD Sgt. Det. Robert Mulvey told the board the citation was more of a notice to the burger joint to plan better for next year than punishment for this past parade's activities.

Tasty Burger attorney Dennis Quilty questioned the citation's validity, because it specifically mentioned "patron consuming alcohol on seasonal patio" and that's an impossiblity since the restaurant's patio disappeared with the construction of a new building next door.

Mulvey then said he meant the small area in front of the take-out window, which was covered with plastic sheeting. Even though the sheeting might have extended over the public sidewalk, the fact it was attached to the Tasty Burger building meant it had become part of Tasty Burger's property through the legal theory of curtilage, he said.

Quilty still objected, saying it was unfair to blame Tasty Burger for the activities of beer swillers on the busiest, beer-swillingest day of the year in South Boston. The manager "would have to have 50 staff people outside" to try to keep the sidewalk clear of beer imbibers, he said.

However, the manager of the Tasty Burger agreed to try to do better next year.

The warning means Tasty Burger could be treated more harshly if it receives another citation.

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Comments

They even brought in the big gun, Dennis Quilty and the Board still wouldn't admit this citation was a farce. So, if I walk down the street with a beer, and walk by a coffee shop that has an awning which hangs over a public sidewalk, the coffee shop can be cited?

Only if you hang around there acting like an ass.

Grab the guy drinking a beer on Patty's day... But let all the junkies shoot up on methadone mile with no consequences. Way to go BPD. Glad your priorities are in order... This politicians in this city needs to get their collective heads out of their asses and start addressing real problems.

Ever heard of the "Open Container Law" (notice the last word "law")? Well, there you go.

"Junkies" shooting up, as you say, neither matter hide nor hare to the fact.

If they are, let's vote their dumb asses out. If not, let's vote out those who appointed them. This citation really is dumb.

If you don't know whether the licensing board is elected or appointed, I highly doubt you'll be leading any charge on election day.

:D

Unless...I can address you directly as "SoBo-Yuppie".

It's far easier to issue a citation/warning to a business than it is to do the actual police work of confronting anyone who is consuming publicly. Let this be a warning to all the businesses along the parade route. You are responsible for making sure no one is drinking on the public property in front of your establishments. If you need to bother the police for anything else you can find them at the pub.

One of the conditions of a food-serving or liquor license in Boston is exactly that: Keep the sidewalk in front of your establishment safe and in compliance with applicable state and city laws (in this case, our ever popular open-container law).

why I still live in this city more and more every day.

You spelled "state" wrong. If I wasn't anchored by an irreplaceable job and two elderly family members, I have trouble seeing any logical reason to stay. Overpriced, over regulated, and filled with too many self-important clowns desperately in need of a beating.

Meanwhile, MA is gaining population.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/12/22/massachusetts-population-gr...

Go ahead - find this unregulated state you seek with its cheap housing and similarly irreplaceable job. I wish you good luck with that. There are plenty more people who are willing to take your spot.

Like that poor kid who's in a coma from the Baseball tavern incident?

Shovel the sidewalk in front of your business even though it's not 'yours.' Same thing. Thank you BPD! Keep up the good work!

Either the property owner shovels it, or the city shovels it. But since the city's revenue stream comes from property taxes... that means the property owner is responsible in either case.

So, as a property owner, I'd much rather shovel it myself than pay money to the city, to be filtered through a gazillion layers of bureaucracy to finally pay some worker to shovel it.