Minutes - L&P - 7-12-23 Full — File 23-1143

City of Somerville, Massachusetts City Council Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting Minutes 6:00 PM Wednesday, July 12, 2023 This meeting was held via Zoom and was called to order by Chair Burnley at 6:02 p.m. and adjourned at 6:42 p.m. on a Roll Call Vote: 3 in favor (Councilors Ewen-Campen, Clingan, Burnley), 0 opposed, 0 absent. Others present: Michael Potere – Assistant Clerk of Committees; Bernabe Rodriguez – Assistant City Clerk; J.T. Scott – Ward 2 City Councilor. Roll Call Chairperson Willie Burnley Jr., Vice Chair Jesse Clingan and Ben Ewen-Campen Present: 1. Approval of the Minutes of the Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting of June 12, 2023. Committee Minutes (ID # 23-1052) ACCEPTED RESULT: Chairperson Burnley Jr., Vice Chair Clingan and Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen AYE: Public Hearing re: item 23-1062 2. New Garage License, New England Collision Center Inc, 224 Somerville Ave, 10 cars inside, 4 cars outside for mechanical repairs, autobody work, spray painting, and washing vehicles, Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm, Sat: 8am-2pm, and Sun: closed. License (ID # 23-1062) 3 cars outside and no vehicle may be on the sidewalk Chair Burnley sponsored Wellington Duarte, business owner and applicant, to speak, and asked Duarte about the business and relationship to Somerville. Duarte stated that they have been operating a used car dealership in Malden, Massachusetts for the past 12 years and wants to open a collision repair service in Somerville due to the city’s growth and opportunities. Chair Burnley asked the applicant about their request for four cars to be parked outside of the business, as opposed to three under the previous license. Duarte responded that four cars could comfortably fit in the spaces, and that they are intended for customers to pull in and have a place to park. Chair Burnley sponsored Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott to speak, who stated Page 1 of 4

Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting Minutes July 12, 2023 that the previous licenses for this location only permitted three cars to be parked outside of the business, and asked the Chair to modify the license to remove the fourth spot. Councilor Ewen-Campen asked to hear if the applicant had a response to Councilor Scott’s request, and the applicant stated they did not object to amending the license application to three spots. Chair Burnley sponsored George Kazazian, the owner of the property, who stated that four cars could comfortably fit in the space as proposed in the license, and added that they were not aware of any complaints when four cars have been parked in that location in the past. Chair Burnley asked for clarification regarding the dimensions on the diagram provided with the license application, and Duarte explained that the building stops on the right side of the diagram, and the wall continues, and that on the left side, there is no wall and it is more of a triangle shape. Councilor Ewen-Campen expressed a preference for modifying the license to permit only three cars on the exterior adjacent to the sidewalk, and Councilor Scott expressed agreement, reiterating that the previous license only permitted three cars to park outside the business. Chair Burnley moved to condition the license as follows: 3 cars outside and no vehicle may be on the sidewalk. The motion was approved on a roll call vote of 3 in favor (Ewen-Campen, Clingan, Burnley), 0 opposed, and 0 absent. RECOMMENDED TO BE APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS RESULT: Chairperson Burnley Jr., Vice Chair Clingan and Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen AYE: 3. Renewing Garage License, Dewire Family Trust, 141 Beacon St. License (ID # 23-0582) Chair Burnley stated that this item would be taken together with Item 4 (ID # 23-0583) and Item 5 (ID # 23-0584). Chair Burnley sponsored Councilor Scott to speak, who expressed confusion regarding the purpose of the license applications, and noted that although the licenses requested are to operate garages, no such businesses open to the public appear to be operating at any of these addresses. Chair Burnley expressed concern that the licenses purported to reflect businesses that are open to the public but are not operated as such. Councilor Ewen-Campen asked if the applicant had been contacted and Page 2 of 4

Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting Minutes July 12, 2023 invited to participate in the meeting. Assistant City Clerk Rodriguez responded that the applicant was contacted via e-mail, and also by telephone and postal mail, and that the Clerk’s office received no response. Councilor Ewen-Campen asked if an applicant failing to respond is typical, and Assistant City Clerk Rodriguez indicated that it is not. Councilor Ewen-Campen expressed a preference to keep the items in committee until a response from the applicant is received, and Chair Burnley expressed agreement. Councilor Clingan asked about the current state of affairs at the addresses for the requested licenses, and Councilor Scott replied that the Beacon Street address appears to be used as a parking lot for residents to rent parking spaces, and that the addresses on Washington Street appeared to be large fenced lots that are occasionally occupied by dump trucks. In light of Councilor Scott’s explanation, Chair Burnley recommend Item 3 for approval and recommended that Items 4 and 5 be kept in committee pending further attempts to contact the applicant, noting that he would be unlikely to recommend the licenses in Items 4 and 5 for approval in the event the applicant fails to appear at the next committee meeting. RECOMMENDED TO BE APPROVED RESULT: Chairperson Burnley Jr., Vice Chair Clingan and Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen AYE: 4. Renewing Garage License, Dewire Family Trust, 381 Washington St. License (ID # 23-0583) Chair Burnley stated that this item would be taken together with Item 3 (ID # 23-0582) and Item 5 (ID # 23-0584). Chair Burnley recommend that this item be kept in committee pending further attempts to contact the applicant, noting that he would be unlikely to recommend approval for this license in the event the applicant fails to appear at the next committee meeting. KEPT IN COMMITTEE RESULT: 5. Renewing Garage License, Dewire Family Trust, 387 Washington St. License (ID # 23-0584) Chair Burnley stated that this item would be taken together with Item 3 (ID # 23-0582) and Item 4 (ID # 23-0583). Chair Burnley recommend that this item be kept in committee pending further attempts to contact the applicant, noting that he would be unlikely to recommend approval for this license in the event the applicant fails to appear at the next committee meeting. Page 3 of 4

Licenses and Permits Committee Meeting Minutes July 12, 2023 KEPT IN COMMITTEE RESULT: Page 4 of 4