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UM, NEXT UP, UH, ON THE AGENDA FOR SIX 15 IS CASE NUMBER BZA 1 2 2 2 2 8 9 37 BRATTLE STREET, UH, SEVEN STREET BURGER, UH, TENANT, UH, OF AP BRATTLE SQUARE, UH, BEING REPRESENTED BY SARAH RATTIGAN.
UM, SEEKING A SPECIAL PERMIT FOR OPERATION OF A QUICK SERVICE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT THAT MEETS THE DEFINITION OF FORMULA BUSINESS, UH, CITING SECTION.
OH, AM I GOOD? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? IS THERE, DO YOU HAVE A MOUSE OVER THERE? NO.
DOES IT, DOES IT TOUCH SCREEN OR NOT? I DON'T THINK SO.
YOU NEED A MOUSE FOR IT? WE HAVE THAT SEAT,
WE'LL JUST SWITCH SOME MICS AROUND.
SORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE.
UH, SIX 15 CASE, UH, BZA 1 2 2 2 2 8 9 37 BRATTLE STREET.
UH, YOU SEVENTH STREET BURGER, A TENANT OF AP BRATTLE SQUARE, UH, BEING REPRESENTED BY SARAH RATTIGAN, SEEKING A SPECIAL PERMIT FOR AN OPERATION OF A QUICK SERVICE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT THAT MEETS THE DEFINITION OF FORMULA BUSINESSES.
UH, CITING ARTICLES, 11 SECTION 11.30, UH, SECTION 4.35, QUICK SERVICE, FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, 20.5, FOUR POINT 10, QUICK SERVICE, FOOD FORMULA BUSINESS, AS WELL AS SECTION 10.40 FOR SPECIAL PERMIT.
UM, AND, UH, SARAH, YOU'RE ONLINE.
UH, SARAH RATTIGAN FOR THE PETITIONER.
I'M SORRY, I, I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING THAT YOU SAID UP UNTIL THE LAST FEW WORDS, SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH MY AUDIO, BUT, OKAY.
UM, HOPEFULLY YOU WEREN'T ASKING ANY QUESTIONS,
SUMMARIZING SECTIONS YOU'RE, UH, CITING AND, AND WHAT THE APPLICATION IS SEEKING.
UM, SO, UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, MY NAME IS SARAH RATTIGAN TRILOGY LAW, UH, 12TH MARSHALL STREET IN BOSTON.
UM, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE PETITIONER, WHICH IS, UH, SEVENTH STREET.
UM, SEVENTH STREET BURGER IS A, UM, BURGER SHOP, UH, OUT OF NEW YORK THAT IS SEEKING TO OPEN, UM, A SHOP IN HARVARD SQUARE, IN THE HEART OF HARVARD SQUARE AT 37 BRATTLE STREET.
AND, UM, WITH ME TODAY ARE, UM, JEFF EMANUEL, UH, I BELIEVE DAN KESTENBAUM, AND, UH, DEAN DUFFY, UM, FROM SEVENTH STREET BURGER.
AND, UM, IT'S POSSIBLE WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE, FROM THE LANDLORD OWNER OF THE BUILDING, ASANA PARTNERS AS WELL, UM, MARIO CABRERO, WHO'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR US, UM, AS WE'VE BEEN PLANNING, UM, FOR THIS APPLICATION.
UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, UNDER THE HARVARD SQUARE OVERLAY, IF YOU ARE, UM, CONSIDERED A FORMULA BUSINESS, A QUICK SERVICE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT THAT MEETS THE DEFINITION OF A FORMULA BUSINESS.
SO YOU'VE GOT, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE THRESHOLD NUMBERS ARE, BUT WE HAVE OVER THE THRESHOLD NUMBER OF STORES MM-HMM
UM, AND, UM, SEVENTH STREET BURGER HAS, UH, AT LEAST TWO OTHER LOCATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS.
SO THEY DO MEET THAT DEFINITION.
UM, WE NEED TO COME TO THIS BOARD, UH, REQUESTING A SPECIAL PERMIT, UM, TO ALLOW FOR THE USE.
AND WE HAVE THE USUAL SPECIAL PERMIT STANDARD REQUIREMENTS, AS WELL AS, UM, A SET OF, UM, PARAMETERS TO GO THROUGH AND DESCRIBE TO YOU ALL UNDER 11.31, WHICH, WHICH WE'LL DO.
UM, I THOUGHT MAYBE WE WOULD START, IF IT'S OKAY, STEVEN, IF YOU COULD, UM, PULL UP THE SLIDES JUST TO GIVE A, A LITTLE VISUAL OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE SQUARE AND WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THE, UM, BURGER SHOP IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WANTED TO START.
SO, UM, THIS IS, UH, AN OVER OVERHEAD VIEW.
IF YOU DON'T MIND ZOOMING OUT A LITTLE BIT, STEVEN, I THINK THE IMAGES GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE LOCATION IN THE SQUARE.
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OKAY.SO WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING DOWN BIRD'S EYE VIEW.
UM, THIS IS THE CURVE OF BRATTLE STREET.
UM, I ALWAYS CALL THIS THE HEART OF THE SQUARE.
I DON'T KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THE PIT IS THE HEART OF SQUARE.
BUT ANYWAY, THE, ONE OF THE HEARTS OF THE SQUARE
UM, AND THIS IS A, A RELATIVELY SMALL, UM, UH, RETAIL SITE.
UM, IF YOU SCROLL DOWN A BIT, STEVEN, UM, THIS IS THE, UH, THE RENDERING THAT WAS DONE BY THE SIGNAGE GROUP.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE LITTLE PANEL, IT SHOWS THE EXISTING STREET VIEW WITH, UM, MARINE LAYER WAS THE RETAIL, UM, STORE THAT'S, UM, JUST VERY RECENTLY LEFT NEXT TO THE MOSCON.
AND, UM, SEVENTH STREET BURGER WOULD TAKE THAT LOCATION.
UM, AND IF YOU JUST SEE THE NEXT, UH, IMAGE THERE, THIS IS THE, THE SIGN, UM, APPLICATION.
UM, THE SIGN APPLICATION ACTUALLY WAS ALREADY APPROVED, BUT, UM, YOU CAN GET A, A VIEW HERE OF WHAT THE, WHAT THE SIGNAGE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE A SIMPLE SMALL, UH, SMALL FRONTED, UH, RE RETAIL SPACE.
ACTUALLY, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, YOU CAN JUST, UM, SKIP FORWARD, UH, TO YEP.
ANOTHER, UH, FRONT FACING VIEW OF WHAT, UM, THE RETAIL FRONT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, HERE'S AN IMAGE OF WHAT THE INSIDE OF THE STORE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, SEVENTH STREET BURGER HAS A, UM, HAS A, A PHILOSOPHY OF, UH, SIMPLICITY.
IT WAS, UM, IT WAS STARTED BY A COUPLE OF FRIENDS WHO WERE LOOKING FOR THE BEST BURGER EVER.
UM, AND THEY LIKE THE SMASH BURGER STYLE, SO LIKE THE REALLY THIN, CRISPY PATTIES.
AND I SHOULDN'T BE TELLING YOU ABOUT THIS NOW 'CAUSE I DIDN'T EAT DINNER BEFORE THIS HEARING.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE A VERY SIMPLE MENU.
THEY, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE THREE THINGS ON THE MENU, AND AS THEY DESCRIBE IT, THEY DO THEM REALLY WELL.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, IS THEY STICK TO THEIR BASICS.
UM, AND THEN THE INSIDE, UM, SORT OF CLEAN LINES AND SORT OF OLD STYLE, UM, IS, UH, KEEPING WITH THAT KIND OF CONCEPT, UM, CONCEPT.
THEY ANTICIPATE ABOUT 20, UH, 20 SEATS.
UM, AND, UM, IF YOU SHOW THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, ACTUALLY YOU CAN, SORRY TO FLIP THROUGH, BUT YOU CAN, THE, I PROVIDED SOME PROMOTIONAL INFORMATION JUST BECAUSE IT GIVES A LOT OF THE BACKSTORY OF THE COMPANY, UM, WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THE BOARD.
UM, BUT I, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THESE IN ANY DETAIL, BUT, UM, SO YOU CAN ADVANCE THROUGH THE NEXT FEW IMAGES.
I
UM, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT FRANCHISES.
AND NEXT SLIDE, GETTING THROUGH.
HERE, WE'RE BACK TO THE SQUARE AGAIN SHOWING ITS LOCATION.
UM, I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE OTHER IMAGE THAT WE WERE GONNA SHARE, ALTHOUGH PERHAPS IT DIDN'T GET IN HERE.
WAS THERE AN IMAGE OF OUTDOOR SEATING? STEVEN, IS THERE ANOTHER SLIDE OR IS THIS THE END OF THE DECK? UH, IT WOULD BE BELOW, YEAH.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE GOT IT IN THERE.
THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY, UM, THEY WOULD LIKE TO, UM, EXPLORE HAVING TO TWO, UM, TWO SMALL SEATS AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE.
UM, AND STEVEN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN JUST, UH, CHOOSE.
UM, ACTUALLY WE COULD PROBABLY STOP SHOWING THE SLIDE DECK UNLESS PEOPLE WANNA SEE IT AGAIN.
UM, THERE, THERE'S THE, UM, POTENTIAL FOR, UM, SEEKING A LICENSE FROM THE CITY TO ALLOW FOR, UM, FOR PROBABLY TWO TABLETOPS OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE FRONT OF THE STORE, UM, FOR SEATING AS WELL.
BUT, UM, THERE'S NO, WE DON'T HAVE AN APPLICATION OUT YET, BUT THAT, THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
UM, AND WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE FOLKS WITH THE HARVARD SQUARE, UM, ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO, WHO WE PRESENTED TO, UM, WAS, UM, KEENLY INTERESTED IN.
UM, SO I WANTED TO JUST RUN THROUGH SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE SPECIAL PERMIT, UM, TO, UM, UH, GO OVER SOME OF THE MORE SPECIFICS OF THE OPERATIONS AND, AND THEN BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE I WANNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE OR MEMBERS OF THE SEVENTH STREET BURGER GROUP OR HERE.
UM, SO, UM, WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO CREATE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, UH, REDUCE AVAILABLE PARKING, THREATEN PUBLIC SAFETY, ENCOURAGE
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DOUBLE PARKING, AND PUTTING THESE ALL TOGETHER IN A LUMP TOGETHER JUST TO SORT OF TALK THROUGH THOSE.SO, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS LOCATION AND THE TYPE OF STORE THAT IT IS, WE EXPECT, UM, FOOT TRAFFIC, UM, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY, UM, THE, UM, THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE TO PARK IN THIS PART OF THE SQUARE.
UM, SO THIS IS FOLKS COMING OFF THE T UM, KIDS FROM HARVARD, MIT, ET CETERA, UM, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE, UM, COMING INTO THE SQUARE FOR FOOD.
AND IT'S SORT OF CENTRALLY LOCATED WITH A LOT OF OTHER, UM, GREAT OPTIONS, SORT OF AT A, AT A REASONABLE PRICE POINT.
UM, AND, UM, SO WE DON'T EXPECT ISSUES IN THAT REGARD.
THERE WAS A GOOD, UM, HEALTHY CONVERSATION IN THE HEALTH HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE GROUP ABOUT, UM, DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE, UM, DELIVERIES, BECAUSE THIS IS A DIFFICULT AREA OF THE SQUARE.
UM, AND SO THERE WERE SOME REALLY HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS.
THE SEVENTH STREET BURGER FOLKS WERE SAYING THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THEIR SUPPLIERS TO HAVE BLACKOUT WINDOWS ON DELIVERIES.
SO THEY SAY, IF WE TELL THEM YOU CANNOT DELIVER DURING THESE HOURS, THEY WON'T.
AND THEN THEY HAVE, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY CALL IT, COLD BOX STORAGE, WHERE BASICALLY THE DELIVERY PEOPLE CAN DELIVER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, DELIVER TO A REFRIGERATOR THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO INSIDE THE BUILDING.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE INTENDING TO DO IN THIS LOCATION, SO THAT THEY CAN AVOID SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, CONGESTION CONCERNS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING IN AND OUTTA THE SQUARE WHEN THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED, UM, AND UM, UH, A FAIR AMOUNT WAS, UH, TALKING ABOUT, UM, DELIVERY DRIVERS AND THIRD PARTY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, GRUBHUB, DOORDASH, ET CETERA.
UM, AND WHAT SEVENTH STREET HAS SAID IS THAT THEY, ONE, THEY DO NOT LIKE THOSE THIRD PARTY, UM, YOU KNOW, VENDORS, I THINK A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES DON'T, THEY, THEY CAN'T SAY THAT THEY WOULD NEVER USE 'EM, BUT, UM, THEY HAVE FOUND IN OTHER LOCATIONS, UM, INCLUDING THERE'S A STORE IN, UM, A NEW LOCATION IN NEWBURY STREET, AND THEN THAT LOCATION, THEY'VE JUST TURNED IT OFF.
THAT'S NOT EVEN AN OPTION THERE.
UM, BECAUSE THE STORE IS PLENTY BUSY.
AND, UM, IT WOULD REALLY KIND OF OVERWHELM THE, THE STORE, UM, IF THEY WERE TO OPEN THAT UP.
UM, AND THEY DON'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THOSE, THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC AND, AND, UM, DELIVERY DRIVERS.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE BOTH THE WILLINGNESS AND THE ABILITY TO, TO, TO MANAGE THAT, UM, KIND OF ISSUE.
UM, THE, UM, PHYSICAL DESIGN, YOU KNOW, COLOR AND USE OF MATERIALS, UM, UM, THEY LIKE A LOT.
UM, AND THEIR SIGNAGES HAS BEEN APPROVED AND SEEMS TO BE, YOU KNOW, UM, FIT IN WELL IN THAT LOCATION IN THE SQUARE.
UM, IT'S NOT STANDING OUT A LOT.
UM, AND THEN THE SEVENTH STREET BURGER, UM, UH, UM, SORT OF VALUE PROP PROPOSITION FOR THE SQUARE, I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD ONE.
UM, IT IS UNIQUE, UM, IN THAT IT'S GOT THE SIMPLE, UM, ONE OPTION.
THIS IS WHERE YOUR FRIEND WHO LOVES BURGERS AND DOESN'T WANT A TACO AND DOESN'T WANT PIZZA GOES MM-HMM
UM, AND, UM, IT'S OFFERING, UM, A REALLY GOOD PRODUCT AND, UH, SORT OF A LIVELY, A LIVELY USE IN, IN THIS PART OF THE SQUARE THAT, UM, THE HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOLKS WERE, WERE, UM, EXCITED TO ENCOURAGE.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, ATTRACTING PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING IN.
UM, AND, UM, THE NEXT ELEMENT WAS USING BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS, WHICH THEY'RE GONNA TO USE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, USE TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
UM, THEY HAVE, UM, THEY WILL HAVE BOTH, YOU KNOW, GOOD TRASH MANAGEMENT, UM, BOTH FOR ONSITE AS WELL AS, UM, IN TERMS OF REMOVING TRASH.
THERE'S, UM, I THINK THERE'S A TRASH FACILITY THAT THE ASANA PARTNERS FOLKS HAVE THAT, UM, MANAGES FOR THAT WHOLE AREA, WHICH IS, UM, QUITE GOOD.
THEY ALSO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF BASEMENT STORAGE AREAS, SO TRASH CAN BE KEPT IF IT HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP, IT CAN BE KEPT, YOU KNOW, INSIDE THE BUILDING.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WILL BE MANAGED WELL, WHICH I KNOW IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF, UM, MEETING REQUIREMENTS FOR HANDICAPPED AND DISABLED PEOPLE, UM, THE SITE IS, UM, IT IS AT GROUND LEVEL, UM, ALREADY, WHICH IS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, AND THE, UM, THEY ARE PROVIDING A, A DA ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM, WHICH IS, UH, NICE FOR A SIZE OF A SPACE LIKE THIS.
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A A, A GOOD BATHROOM IS, IS ALSO NICE.
UM, LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE? UM, I'VE COVERED A LOT OF THINGS.
I HOPE THAT, UM, YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE, WE HAVE TWO LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
I'M SURE MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU'LL, YOU'LL REFERENCE THOSE.
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UM, BOTH SUPPORT FROM THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, UM, AS WELL AS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH, UM, WE MET, UM, IN MID AUGUST.UH, ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FROM THE BOARD? BRENDA SULLIVAN? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
I THINK THAT THE LETTER IS THAT SARAH JUST REFERENCED, ESPECIALLY FROM THE HOWARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE POSED USE AND ALSO HOW THEY CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS AS FAR AS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A NEED IN THE AREA.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THE MARKETPLACE, WE'LL DECIDE THE NEED, AND IF IT'S A GOOD PRODUCT, FAIRLY PRICED AND SERVED WELL, THEN IT WILL SURVIVE AND THAT WILL FULFILL THE NEED.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT ON THE APPLICATION.
JAY WILLIAMSON FROM THE PUBLIC? NO, NO, IT'S, UH, JUST BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? NONE.
UM, I JUST HAD A QUESTION, SARAH.
UH, WHAT ARE, UH, CURRENTLY THE PROPOSED HOURS OF BUSINESS? THANK YOU.
I'M SORRY, I FORGOT TO, UM, NO, IT'S OKAY.
UM, SO THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE IS TO OPEN AT 11, UH, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK AND, UM, TO CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT FROM SUNDAY TO WEDNESDAY.
AND THEN, UM, THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, THEY'RE PROPOSING A, A 2:00 AM CLOSE TIME.
AND, UM, THAT WAS, UM, ALSO WITH SOME URGING FROM THE HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE I GUESS THERE'S, UH, A SENSE OF, UM, DESIRE TO REALLY ENLIVEN, UM, THIS AREA, UH, IN THE LATER HOURS.
UM, I THINK, YEAH, WE COULD PROBABLY MOVE ON IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
I'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
UM, GOING THROUGH THE CORRESPONDENCE, AS SARAH MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE TWO LETTERS.
UH, ONE IS FROM CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, SPEAKING OR REPORTING BACK ON THE MEETING WITH HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, THEY DO SUPPORT, UH, THE APPLICATION AND SPECIAL PERMIT FOR THE PROJECT.
AND I THINK JUST TO CUT TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THEY DO SUPPORT THOSE PROPOSED HOURS, AS MENTIONED BY MS. RADIAN.
UM, THEY BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES JUST THAT EXTRA, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO, FOR GATHERING IN THE SQUARE, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, THE WEEK.
UM, PROBABLY THE MORE IMPORTANT TOPIC, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT AND EXPAND UPON IS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE DELIVERY LOGISTICS.
UM, JUST WITH ALL THE COMPLEXITY IN THE SQUARE OF DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, FOLKS ARE MOVING AROUND AND, UM, USING, UH, BIKE LANES, TRAFFIC AND SO ON.
UM, THE, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THE, THE, UH, THIRD PARTY DELIVERY AND PICKUP AND, UH, IS CAUSING IS, YOU KNOW, EVEN CURRENTLY NOW CAUSING QUITE A BIT OF, UH, CONGESTION THERE.
BUT, UM, THEY DO MENTION WHAT YOU WERE, UH, MENTIONING EARLIER, UH, THAT, UH, SEVENTH STREET HAS OPTIONS AND WAYS TO MANAGE THAT.
UM, SO WE CAN DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE FURTHER.
UH, THEY MENTIONED THE OUTDOOR SEATING, AND THEY SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE, UM, PROVIDING THAT, UH, SPACE AND APPROVING THAT PATIO LICENSE, UH, AND ALSO SHARE THE, UH, HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE GUIDANCE DOCUMENT, UH, TO THE APPLICANT, UM, TO REVIEW.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE UNANIMOUS IN TERMS OF, UH, SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION.
UH, THEY, WE ALSO HAD A LETTER OR EMAIL RECEIVED FROM, UH, DENISE GILSON OF THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND YOU, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE KEY NOTES HERE IS JUST CITING HOW WELL, UH, THE LANDLORD OF THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, SEVENTH STREET, AS WELL AS SERVING THE COMMUNITY, UH, ASANA PARTNERS.
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THAT, THAT, UM, WANTED, WE WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE HEAR THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, GOOD NEWS THAT WE HAVE A LANDLORD WHO'S SUPPORTIVE AND, AND WORKING WITH THE CITY AS WELL AS SAT, YOU KNOW, MEETING TENANTS EXPECTATIONS.UM, SO THOSE TWO WERE IN SUPPORT.
AND, UH, WE CAN GO NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ONLINE.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK SHOULD NOW CLICK THE ICON AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ZOOM SCREEN THAT SAYS, RAISE HAND.
IF YOU'RE CALLING IN BY PHONE, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND BY PRESSING STAR NINE AND UNMUTE OR MUTE BY PRESSING STAR SIX.
I'LL NOW ASK STAFF TO UNMUTE THE SPEAKERS ONE AT A TIME.
YOU SHOULD BEGIN BY SAYING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND STAFF WILL CONFIRM THAT WE CAN HEAR YOU.
AFTER THAT, YOU WILL HAVE UP TO TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK BEFORE I ASK YOU TO WRAP UP.
JAY WILLIAMSON, UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
UM, I ACTUALLY LIVED ON FIFTH STREET BETWEEN A AND B IN, UH, NEW YORK, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THERE.
UM, BUT I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE NOW FOR 55 YEARS.
I OBVIOUSLY, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA GO THROUGH, I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER BUSINESSES.
THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE COME AND GONE IN SIMILAR LOCATIONS.
THERE IS A DRIVEWAY BEHIND THE ROW OF BUILDINGS THAT, UM, COMES DOWN NEXT TO SINCLAIR.
THERE'S AN A, A FAIRLY CAPACIOUS PARKING AREA.
I BELIEVE THAT DELIVERIES ARE MADE TO, UM, FELIPE FROM THAT AREA.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE A LITTLE MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL USE OF THAT SPACE FOR, FOR DELIVERIES, AND BY DELIVERIES, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TO THE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, SUPPLIES THERE.
I THINK THE BIG ISSUE IS GOING TO BE A DOOR DASH.
I DIDN'T QUITE GET CATCH EVERYTHING.
I WAS DISTRACTED FOR A MINUTE, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE WITH, FIRST OF ALL, WE GOT AN ISSUE WITH THESE PEOPLE RACING AROUND ON THEIR LITTLE SCOOTERS.
NO ENFORCEMENT IN CAMBRIDGE OF ANY TRAFFIC LAWS, JUST THAT I CAN, THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UM, SO THERE'S A REAL SERIOUS PROBLEM THERE.
AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HARVARD SQUARE AT NIGHT, UM, I'M QUITE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
I KNOW THE OWNER OF FAMILY BASE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HUGE LINE OUT, WHICH IS GOOD, RIGHT? YEAH.
THERE'S A HUGE LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO GET INTO THE FAMILY BASE, AND THAT SIDEWALK IS ALREADY QUITE CONGESTED FROM THE PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE, AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO TAKE A LITTLE MORE SPACE FOR THEIR SEATING.
AND I GUESS I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THERE BE, NOT TO PICK ON THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT, BUT THAT THERE BE A BETTER SCRUTINY TO HOW MUCH OF THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK IS BEING TAKEN BY ANYBODY WHO HAS TABLE SEATING OUT ON THE SIDEWALK, WHICH I ACTUALLY THINK IS A, IS A GOOD THING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT THE SEEDING AND THEN YOU PUT THE PLANTER, AND PRETTY SOON THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK DOWN THE SIDEWALK.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO FLAG.
THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM ALL WITH, WITH VEHICLES BACKING UP ON BRATTLE ALL ALONG THE SECTION BETWEEN FELIPE AND, UH, PALMER ALLEY AT NIGHT.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHOW.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ASK THE ISD TO, OR THE LICENSE COMMISSION TO MAYBE PAY A LITTLE CLOSER ATTENTION TO MANAGING THAT, THAT CONGESTION.
UH, THAT WAS IT, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
SO DISCUSSION AMONG BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS OR CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, UH, ABOUT WHAT, HOW DO WE KIND OF HELP ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC CONCERNS WITH THE THIRD PARTY DELIVERY? OR HOW CAN WE, UM, TRY TO QUALIFY OR SOMEHOW TRY TO MAKE SOME KIND OF EFFORT TO MANAGE THAT? I THINK MR. WILLIAMSON'S DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT'S LIKE, IT, IT IS TRUE THAT FELIPE'S LINE, UH, THE CARS ALL TAKE UP, UH, NON-PAR SPOTS OR, YOU KNOW, AND IT CAN GET PRETTY HECTIC RIGHT AT THE CURVE.
I THINK, UH, SEVENTH STREET BURGER'S LOCATION IS A LITTLE FURTHER
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AWAY FROM THAT INTENSITY, SO THAT WOULD HELP A BIT.BUT, UH, THOSE THIRD PARTY FOLKS WILL COME DOWN MOUNT AUBURN AND KIND OF FIND WHATEVER SPACE THEY CAN.
UM, BUT, UH, ANY THOUGHTS FROM THE BOARD ON HOW WE CAN HELP MITIGATE THAT? UH, THIS IS BRENDA SULLIVAN, UH, MR. CHAIR.
I THINK THAT IT'S SORT OF BOARD IS ON SORT OF A POLICING ACTION IN A SENSE.
THE CROWDS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THE CONGESTION IS A GOOD SIGN IN ONE ASPECT, BECAUSE IT SHOWS SOMEWHAT OF A HEALTHY ECONOMY AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
AND YES, THAT THE, IT DOES TAKE AWAY FROM SOME OF THE PEDESTRIAN, UM, TRAFFIC, UM, BACK AND FORTH AND ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WALK ALONG THE SIDEWALK.
SO IT'S, IT'S EVERYBODY'S SORT OF VYING FOR THE SAME REAL ESTATE AT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN SORT OF AN ISSUE WITH HARVARD SQUARE IN, UM, AND IT'S REALLY SOMEWHAT UNSOLVABLE.
I THINK IT JUST SOLVES ITSELF.
UM, UM, BECAUSE ANY REGULATION, ANY TYPE OF CONDITION THAT WE WOULD PUT INTO IT, UM, WHO'S GONNA ENFORCE IT AND HOW'S IT GONNA BE ENFORCED? AND, YOU KNOW, IT PUTS THE ONUS ON THE OWNER WHO'S REALLY BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO, UM, WHEN HIS ESTABLISHMENT TO THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE TO SERVICE THE CUSTOMER.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE APPLICANT, THE STORE OWNER, UH, THE, UM, IN, IN THIS CASE, UH, THE BURGER, UH, ESTABLISHMENT, OR IS IT IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FIND THE AREA ATTRACTIVE AND THE LIMITED SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE? WHICH TO ME, I, AGAIN, I GO BACK, I THINK IT'S SORT OF A, IT'S A GOOD THING AS OPPOSED TO IF YOU GO THROUGH OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY AND OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, EAST ARLINGTON, THERE'S, THERE'S NO CROWDS.
THERE'S FOUR RENT SIGNS FOR SALE SIGNS.
UM, SO, UM, I, I, I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IT'S, UM, SOMETHING VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT A CONDITION ON BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES A POLICING ACTION.
AND IF IT FAILS TO MEET WHATEVER STANDARD WE PUT INTO THE CONDITION, THEN IT FALLS BACK ON THE ESTABLISHMENT TO CORRECT.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW IT'S CORRECTABLE, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S HELPFUL OR NOT, BUT THAT'S SORT OF MY THOUGHT.
THIS, UH, THIS IS ZARIA MIRANDA.
UM, I WAS GOING TO JUST SECOND THAT.
I THINK IT'S HARD TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WANT TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE SQUARE.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LINE AT FELIPE'S CAN BE
UM, I THINK THE ISSUE WITH THE, UH, THE DELIVERIES AND THE SCOOTERS AND THE CARS PULLING OVER IS SOMETHING THAT'S SORT OF OUT OF OUR HANDS.
I WOULDN'T WANNA PUT, PUT A RESTRICTION THAT, YOU KNOW, A BUSINESS COULDN'T HAVE UBER EATS OR DOORDASH.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO JUST SORT OF HAS TO SOLVE ITSELF.
UM, IT'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD WITH THE TRAFFIC.
YEAH, I, I AGREE WITH THE, UM, SORRY.
AND, AND, AND BRENDAN IN THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PEDESTRIANS, I THINK I JUST WORRY ABOUT THE ENFORCEABILITY IN TERMS OF, I DON'T KNOW, WOULD ISD BE RESPONSIBLE IF THERE ARE COMPLAINTS? AND THAT'S STRIKES ME AS VERY HARD FOR THEM TO ENFORCE.
UM, AND ANYTHING KIND OF CONSISTENT WAY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE, THE LINES I THINK ARE, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT OUTTA CONTROL OUT OF THE CONTROL OF THE, THE, THE BUSINESS, UM, ON THE UBER EATS AND DELIVERY, I THINK MAYBE THAT'S MORE POSSIBLE.
I, I, UM, IN THE SENSE THAT YOU, I CAN IMAGINE THEM HAVING KIND OF RULE ABOUT, UH, WHEN THAT'S AVAILABLE OR NOT.
BUT I, I'M SORT OF WARY ABOUT BEING OVERLY PRESCRIPTIVE.
UM, UM, SO I, I GUESS I, IF I, YOU KNOW, IF I HEARD A GOOD SOLUTION FOR THE, YOU KNOW, DELIVERY, I, I GUESS I'M, I'D BE MORE INTERESTED IN THAT, BUT IT STILL STRIKES ME AS TOUGH FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR ISD.
AND MY, MY FOCUS WAS MORE ABOUT, UH, THE DELIVERY, THE VEHICLES AND SO ON.
UM, NOT, I, I'M NOT CONCERNED.
[00:30:01]
I THINK PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY'S A GOOD THING FOR THE SQUARE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA DRAW PEOPLE IN, AND WE WELCOME THAT.BUT, UH, IT, IT, IT DOES GET PRETTY HECTIC, UH, OUT THERE, UH, IN THE EVENING.
BUT, UH, OKAY, JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I THINK, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ARE KIND OF LISTED IN SEVEN STREET BURGERS, ONE OF THE FEW APPLICANTS WHO ACTUALLY HAS SOME, YOU KNOW, WAYS OF MANAGING DELIVERIES AND BLACKING OUT PERIODS OF TIME.
SO, UM, I GUESS THAT WAS REALLY, UH, MY, PERSONALLY, MY ONLY CONCERN WAS TO BRING UP THE TR THE TRAFFIC CON, UH, ISSUE.
BUT OTHERWISE, TOTALLY, I PERSONALLY TOTALLY SUPPORT THE APPLICATION, UM, IN ITSELF.
SO, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT.
ARE WE READY FOR A MOTION? I GUESS OL READY.
UH, THE CHAIR MAKES A MOTION TO GRANT A SPECIAL PERMIT FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE UNDER SECTIONS 11.30, UH, SECTION 4.35 FOR QUICK SERVICE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, UH, 20.4 FOR QUICK SERVICE FOOD FORMULA, BUSINESS SECTION 10.40 SPECIAL PERMIT.
UM, AND, UH, BASED ON THE CRITERIA FOR SPECIAL PERMIT, UM, JUST SUMMARIZING THOSE RESPONSES.
UH, SO ITEM A, UM, IT APPEARS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ORDINANCE CANNOT OR WILL NOT BE MET.
UH, AND THE PROPONENT'S ESTABLISHMENT DOES MEET THE DEFINITION OF FORMULA BUSINESS IN THE HARVARD SQUARE OVERLAY DISTRICT, WHICH REQUIRES, UH, SEEKING A SPECIAL PERMIT.
UH, IF THE BUSINESS MEETS THE, UH, FOLLOWING CRITERIA BE TRAFFIC GENERATED OR PATTERNS OF ACCESS OR EGRESS WOULD CAUSE CONGESTION, HAZARD, OR SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE.
UM, THE PROJECT MEETS THE GENERAL, UH, SPECIAL PERMIT CRITERIA THAT IT WILL NOT IMPACT THE ESTABLISHED VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, NOR CAUSE CONGESTION, HAZARD, OR NEGATIVE IMPACTS IN TERMS OF, UH, TRAFFIC GENERATED OR PATTERNS OF EGRESS OR ACCESS.
UM, C THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADJACENT USES AS PERMITTED IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
UM, THE CONTINUED OPERATION OR DEVELOPMENT OF ADJACENT USES WILL NOT BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY SEVENTH STREET BURGER OPERATING IN THEIR LOCATION.
IN FACT, ITS PATRONS WILL AUGMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANT PEDESTRIAN CENTRIC EXPERIENCE IN HARVARD SQUARE AND ATTRACT, ATTRACT ADDITIONAL RETAIL AND OTHER CUSTOMERS IN THE SQUARE.
UH, D NUISANCE OR HAZARD WOULD BE CREATED TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE HEALTH, SAFETY OR WELFARE OF THE OCCUPANT.
UH, AND WE'LL FIND NO NUISANCE OR HAZARD WILL BE CREATED BY THE GRANTING OF THE REQUESTED SPECIAL PERMIT RELIEF AND REASONS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
AND FOR OTHER REASONS, THE PROPOSED USE WOULD IMPAIR THE INTEGRITY OF THE DISTRICT OR ADJOINING DISTRICTS.
AND, UM, THE REQUESTED SPECIAL PERMIT CAN BE GRANTED WITHOUT IMPAIRING THE INTEGRITY OR DIS OF THE DISTRICT OR ADJOINING DISTRICTS, UM, UH, IN HARVARD SQUARE.
SO BY THAT FINDING, THEY MEET THE CRITERIA UNDER SECTIONS 10.40 FOR SPECIAL PERMIT ON THE CONDITION THAT THE WORK PROPOSED CONFORMED TO THE SET, INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION PACKAGE, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS, UH, DRAWING SET ENTITLED SEVEN STREET BURGER FOR HARVARD SQUARE, 37 BRATTLE STREET, CAMBRIDGE, MASS BY A GPC, UH, DATED APRIL 30TH, 2026.
AND FURTHER THAT WE INCORPORATE THE SUPPORTING STATEMENTS AND DIMENSIONAL FORMS SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE APPLICATION ON A VOICE VOTE, PLEASE.
BOARD MEMBERS, BRENDAN SULLIVAN, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO GRANT.
UH, DANIEL HIDALGO ALL GO IN FAVOR, VIRGINIA KEESLER.
VIRGINIA KEESLER IN FAVOR, ZARIA MIRANDA ZARIA.
MIRANDA IN FAVOR, AND STEPHEN ING IN FAVOR, UH, THE VOTE IS FIVE ZERO IN FAVOR AND A SPECIAL PERMIT IS GRANTED.
UM, CASE NUMBER BZA 1 2 2 5 4 0 3 1 27
[00:35:02]
MOUNT AUBURN STREET.UH, SEVEN, UH, 17 STORY, LLC, JANET JANG, UH, REPRESENTED BY PATRICK W. BARRETT, UM, SEEKING A VARIANCE TO REDUCE THE FRONT YARD SETBACK ALONG MOUNT AUBURN AND STORY STREET, UH, CITING SECTIONS 5.31 TABLE OF DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND SECTIONS 10.30 FOR A VARIANCE.
UM, IS, IS MR. BARRETT HERE OR ARE WE JUST DOING THE CONTINUANCE? I WOULD SAY JUST READ WHATEVER THE CORRESPONDENCE WAS.
IS IT, IS THAT IN HERE? UH, I BELIEVE, I, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS, IS THERE A LETTER FROM THEM? YEAH, I BELIEVE THEY'VE REQUESTED A CONTINUANCE OF THE APPLICATION.
UM, I KNOW THE HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HASN'T REALLY PROVIDED, UH, FEEDBACK ON THIS APPLICATION.
SO THIS IS THE CORRESPONDENCE.
YES, THEY'RE, UH, REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE, UH, SO THAT, UH, THEY CAN, UH, PRESENT TO THE HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, DO WE HAVE A DATE FOR, DID HE SAY ONE OR NO? NOPE, NO DATE WAS MENTIONED.
THEN WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM DECEMBER 17TH, DECEMBER.
UM, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? JUST TRYING TO FIND THE DATE HERE.
DID HE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO HARVARD SQUARE? NOPE.
THERE'S NOTHING HERE FOR A DATE WITH HARVARD SQUARE ADVISORY.
I DON'T, I'D ALMOST SAY, WHY DON'T WE JUST GIVE HIM SEPTEMBER 24? HE'S ALREADY ON HERE.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEPTEMBER 24TH.
UM, SINCE WE HAVEN'T HEARD THE MEETING, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE SCHEDULED CASES FOR THAT CASE.
SO, UH, MOTION TO CONTINUE, UM, CONTINUE THIS MATTER TO SEPTEMBER 24TH ON THE CONDITION THAT THE PETITIONER CHANGED THE POSTING SIGN TO REFLECT THE NEW DATE OF SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2026.
AND THE NEW TIME OF 6:00 PM OR DO YOU HAVE A TIME? UH, YEAH, CONTINUE.
ALSO THAT THE PETITIONER SIGN A WAIVER TO THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HEARING.
THIS WAIVER CAN BE OBTAINED FROM MARIA PACHECO OR OLIVIA
I ASK YOU SIGN THE WAIVER AND RETURN IT TO THE INSPECTION SERVICES DEPARTMENT BY A WEEK FROM THIS COMING MONDAY.
FAILURE TO DO SO, WILL DEFACTO CAUSE THIS BOARD TO GIVE AN ADVERSE RULING ON THIS CASE.
ALSO, THAT THERE ARE ANY NEW SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE DRAWINGS, DIMENSIONAL FORMS OR ANY SUPPORTING STATEMENT THAT THOSE BE IN THE FILE BY 5:00 PM ON THE MONDAY PRIOR TO THE CONTINUED MEETING DATE, UH, ON THE MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS MATTER UNTIL SEPTEMBER 24TH.
A VOICE VOTE BY THE BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE.
VIRGINIA KEESLER IN FAVOR? UH, ZARIA.
SO THAT CONTINUANCE IS GONNA HAPPEN THEN.
AND I THINK THAT WAS IT FOR THIS EVENING'S BUSINESS.
UM, THANKS EVERYBODY FOR JUMPING ON AND, UM, WE'LL SEE Y'ALL SOON.