Bedford Plaza Hotel Update

December 12, 2013

By Meredith McCulloch

Bedford Plaza logoThe interactions between the Town and the owner of the Bedford Plaza Hotel are continuing on two separate fronts: code violations and a license to serve alcoholic beverages.

On December 5 the owner of the hotel, Sailesh Patel, appealed to the State Zoning Board of Appeals to overturn a violation citation by Bedford Code Enforcement Officer Chris Lasky. The citation was filed last October when it was determined that the hotel was in violation of its zoning permit. The hotel is licensed for R1 building code status, but since it has been housing transitional families, occupants are staying for longer than 30 days, and an R2 status is required. For R2 zoning, each individual room must have fire sprinklers. At this time they are only installed in halls and public rooms. The owner has not indicated that he will be installing them.

At the Appeals Board hearing, the hotel was granted a continuance until March 5, 2014.  Selectman William Moonan requested that Town Counsel be present at the March hearing. “We have certainly heard from the public that they’d like things to proceed as fast as possible,” he said. “ It is important to have Town Counsel there to represent the Town’s interests.“

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A second issue is the license to serve alcohol at the Plaza. The Selectmen have scheduled a hearing for Monday, December 16 at 7:30 pm to determine whether to revoke the alcohol license for the Bedford Plaza Hotel due to lack of use.  Under town regulations, established by the Selectmen, a license that is not being utilized may be revoked. The bar in the hotel has been closed for some time. Patel would need to explain why he should maintain the license.

Speaking in support of a hearing, Selectman Michael Rosenberg said, “I think it would be a good idea to have them come in. I for one would like to know what their intentions are.”

Annually the Selectmen renew licenses, of which there are a limited number, for establishments serving alcoholic beverages. All but one has been granted.

For more information on alcohol policy see:
https://www.bedfordma.gov/sites/bedfordma/files/file/file/bedford_alcohol_policy_voted_10-19-09.pdf

For an update on the number of families currently living at the Plaza see the report from Representative Ken Gordon, Bedford Plaza: Despite Rising Homeless Crisis in Commonwealth, Bedford Numbers Continue To Decline

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KL
December 19, 2013 9:55 am

Does The Citizen have an update about what happened at Monday’s meeting about the Plaza’s liquor license?
Seems like if the hotel can’t follow their codes they should not be allowed a liquor license.
Was anything else discussed at the meeting, like the hotel owners future intentions?

Forch
December 12, 2013 5:13 pm

A continuance until March??? That is ridiculous. Families are staying for longer than 30 days. There are no sprinklers. What’s the issue? The powers that be seem more than content to just drag their feet. Meanwhile, the schools and the Town suffer – not to mention the families living in unsafe conditions. Ridiculous and irresponsible.

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