P&Z Reviews Patio Request For Hawleyville Pizzeria

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members are considering a restaurant owner’s proposal to construct a patio for dining patrons adjacent to a new commercial building 23 Barnabas Road, where the owner soon plans to open his pizzeria.

Bekim Selmani of Taunton Lane, who is a partner with two other people in the pizzeria known as Papa Al’s, explained to P&Z members at a February 4 public hearing his request to construct a 324-square-foot dining patio made of pavers adjacent to the restaurant. The patio would measure 18 feet square.

The restaurant, which is scheduled to open soon, is in the northernmost space of a 7,500-square-foot commercial building situated at the southern corner of Barnabas Road and Hawleyville Road (Route 25). The P&Z approved the building’s construction in April 2007. A package store currently does business in the building. The Hawleyville Post Office plans to relocate there, as does another restaurant.

Mr Selmani told P&Z members that the patio would be located on what is now a sloped lawn that is adjacent to the walkway in front of the restaurant.

The patio would hold five tables, each of which would have four chairs, providing space for outdoor dining by 20 patrons. Inside the restaurant, there would be dining space for 24 patrons. Much of the restaurant’s business would involve takeout orders. Pizza, pasta, and submarine sandwiches would be among the menu items.

Mr Selmani said the proposed patio would have a railing, but would have no roof. The patio would be posted with a sign stating that it is only for use by Papa Al’s patrons, he said.

Questions

A couple who lives near the site raised some questions about the effects of a dining patio on the area.

Resident Carol Hutchins of 58 Barnabas Road noted that the patio would be facing her house, which lies generally east of the site. “Will it [the patio] be a party place every night?” she asked.

Mr Selmani said he would not serve alcohol at the restaurant. The restaurant is planned to be a place that children would enjoy, he said. He said he expects that the business would close about 9 or 9:30 pm on weeknights and close about 10 pm on weekend nights.

Mr Selmani said he does not know if his establishment would have a “bring your own bottle” (BYOB) arrangement, under which patrons are allowed to bring their own alcohol to the restaurant for consumption on the premises.

George Benson, town director of planning and land use, said that town land use rules would not allow any such possible BYOB arrangement for a patio.

P&Z member Robert Mulholland asked Mr Selmani what would prevent youths from congregating at the patio in the nighttime, after the restaurant closes for business.

Resident Don Hutchins of 58 Barnabas Road pointed out that the planned restaurant initially had not been publicly described as a sit-down restaurant. It had earlier been described as a takeout restaurant, he added.

Mr Hutchins raised issues concerning the adequacy of parking at the site considering the uses planned for the property.

P&Z Chairman Lilla Dean responded that the P&Z needs to review the parking plans for the commercial building in light of Mr Hutchins’ concerns.

Mr Hutchins said that there would be another restaurant doing business at the property, adding that he wants assurances that there would be no on-street parking occurring on Barnabas Road.

Ms Dean said the P&Z would delay action on the requested patio construction project until the issues of parking sufficiency and alcohol use are resolved.

Mr Hutchins explained that he does not oppose the pizzeria’s presence, but wants to be sure that sufficient parking is available.

The commercial building is located in the Hawleyville Center Design District (HCDD) zone. The 1.5-acre triangular lot on hilly terrain is bounded on the west by Hawleyville Road, on the north and the east by Barnabas Road, and on the south and the east by westbound Interstate 84’s Exit 9 ramps. The site lies across Barnabas Road from the commuter parking lot for Exit 9 of I-84.