Outside Menotomy Grille. / Golden Lion Photography
Includes outside fitness, arts
To provide greater flexibility for businesses to operate outdoors during colder weather, the town Economic Development Recovery Task Force recommended the following to the Select Board and the Park & Recreation Commission. Both boards approved the measures during the week of Oct. 5.
Last June 29, the Select Board unanimously approved a program for outdoor dining by establishing the Temporary Outdoor Dining License application. The program addresses the needs of local restaurants by approving outdoor seating in an expedited fashion in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and associated capacity restrictions.
This program was originally set to expire Nov. 1, in accord with Gov. Baker’s Covid-19 Order No. 50. It will remain in effect until 60 days past the end of the state of emergency, or when the governor rescinds Covid-19 restrictions on dining establishments, whichever is sooner.
Way to keep warm
The temporary outdoor-dining license regulations have also been amended to allow for the use of outdoor heaters under review of the Arlington Fire Department. Dozens of restaurants have benefited from the expedited review of temporary outdoor seating set-ups, and those operations will be allowed to continue, some with outdoor heaters.
Specific outdoor park-and-recreation areas have been designated for the use of permitted local fitness businesses and arts-related businesses to allow them to operate outdoors while their indoor capacity is reduced.
On Oct. 6, the Park & Recreation unanimously approved extending the use of town parks-and-recreation land by fitness and arts businesses through the first measurable snowfall. Temporary Outdoor Fitness and Arts Permits have been issued to more than 20 Arlington-based businesses, and dozens of classes per week have been conducted with safe social distancing in our parks throughout the summer and fall. The commission wants to provide businesses as much time as the weather allows to make use of town-owned recreation land.
“With these extended time frames,” Ali Carter, economic-development coordinator, said in an Oct. 8 news release, “it is my hope that business can continue to be conducted outdoors safely as temperatures cool. Businesses now need the flexibility to operate outdoors for as long as their customers are comfortable with the weather.”
All of these regulations take effect immediately, and town staff are accepting applications on a rolling basis.
At the Oct. 5 Select Board meeting, member Joseph Curro Jr. suggested keeping track of “what’s working and what’s not,” and consider making the former permanent.
Food license, Concom, Dallin
In other business, the board voted, 5-0, to:
- Approve a food license for Alfredo Italian Kitchen, at 242 Mass. Ave. Luigi’s Italian was at the site only from September 2018 after Sabatino’s left in 2016 following an oil spill. Member Steve DeCourcey told owner Emadeldine Derebala that he has heard positive reviews from the current location in Winter Hill, Somerville.
- Appoint to the Conservation Commission: Douglas Kilgour, associate member (term to expire 6/30/2022) and Mike Gildesgame (term to expire 6/30/2023). Kilgour moved to town from South Boston 18 months ago. He has a background in environmental engineering and business. Gildesgame, living at 8 Kensington for 37 years, has been a commission associate. His background is in forestry resource management.
- Appoint to the Cyrus E. Dallin Museum Board of Trustees Molly Harper (term to expire 12/31/2023). A volunteer since January, she helped with marketing issues and uncovered a Dallin sculpture.
- Appointment these new election workers: (1) Caitlin Santacroce, 39 Sunnyside Ave., D, Pct. 5; (2) Aimee Taberner, 41 Wellington St., D, Pct. 10; (3) Madeline Upson, 46 Teel St. #2, U, Pct. 1; (4) Sarah White, 32 Pondview Road #1, D, Pct. 2
Correspondence received
Letters regarding the Black Lives Matter banner were received from (see all letters here)
Sam O’Keefe, Rebecca Gruber, Robert Santosuosso, Anne-Marie Bono and Beth Loomis.
See the ACMI video of the Oct. 5 meeting:
Oct. 6, 2020: Issues of race spur promotion, public comments about policy
This news summary, which includes town news releases from Joan Roman, was published Monday, Oct. 12, 2020.
