Waltham Considering Issuing More Liquor Licenses

Waltham officials are considering whether to issue more liquor licenses.

The License Commission has proposed issuing several new liquor licenses, according to City Council Vice President Kenneth Doucette, who chaired a City Council/License Commission meeting on the issue on Monday, April 2.

A date for a public hearing on the issue will be announced on Monday, April 9.

Terms/Intent of the proposal:

• If approved, 10 full liquor licenses and five new malt licenses (which allows for sales of beer and wine), would be issued.
• Several conditions would be attached to any new license. They would be specific to certain locations the city is looking to develop, Doucette said. Some possible locations include the and the former
• The licensees would rent the licenses from the city instead of buying them as is traditionally done, City Councilor Thomas Curtin said in an interview Waltham Patch.
• Licensees would be prohibited from transferring them to a new location, according to Doucette.
• The State Legilsature would have to approve the plan under what is known as a "home rule ptitionm" because lawmakers typcially determine the number of licenses a city receives based on its popluation, according to Doucette.
• Curtin saidthat the licenses would be intended for "destination" eateries with more than 100 seats.
• Additonal licenses would help generate more commercial tax revenue for the city which helps the city keep residential proerty tax rates lower, Curtin said. More licenses could also attract additional business to Waltham.
• "It encourages these destination restaurants to come and experience Waltham. I think it is really important that we encourage these people to come here,” Curtin told Patch.
• License Commission Chairman Wayne Brasco could not be reached for comment on this story.