Watertown council approves temporary outdoor event for Silver Moon despite neighbors' parking, noise concerns

The Watertown Common Council on Sept. 16 approved a temporary premises amendment allowing Silver Moon Watertown LLC to host an outdoor event on Oct. 4, 2025, contingent on city inspections and a pending conditional use permit.

Neighbors said the proposed event, which they said could draw “500 to a thousand people,” risks parking and noise impacts in the residential area around Rockview Court. Council members debated whether approving the temporary amendment before Planning Commission acts on the conditional use permit was procedurally premature.

Andrew Griggs, a Rockview Court resident, told the council his neighborhood is “entirely composed of residential properties” and said he was ``concerned about the noise'' from the planned event. Griggs said he understood “there's an event proposed on October 4 that there's gonna be 3 different bands.” Another neighbor, Joel Yeager, said he was ``concerned about an event that says 500 to a thousand people about parking, where are all those vehicles gonna go.''

Council Member Ken Berg said the licensing timeline troubled him: approving a temporary amendment while the conditional use permit remained scheduled for a special Planning Commission meeting on Sept. 29 was “a little bit the cart before the horse type thing that does bother me about this approach.” Berg raised parking and safety concerns and said he was not satisfied that all points raised at the public safety review had been addressed.

Supporters on the council stressed the economic and community benefit of filling a long-vacant riverfront building. Council Member Dan Lampe said he was “very happy to see that we have some new business owners in this location” and that the city should support a successful launch for the restaurant. Licensing board and public safety staff reported they had reviewed maps and public-safety plans; the council and licensing board also discussed fencing and defined areas where alcohol service would be allowed.

The temporary premises amendment authorizes the applicant to operate an expanded outdoor footprint for the Oct. 4 event during the hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with alcohol service limited to a licensed area shown on the premises map and subject to city inspections. The council’s motion to approve the temporary amendment passed in a roll-call vote with a majority in favor and one recorded no vote by Berg; the motion carried.

Council members and staff clarified that the temporary amendment is separate from permanent premise rules (which limit permanent outdoor events to no more than four live events a year and include other conditions). Officials also noted that the special-event application had been approved by public safety but that the conditional use permit must still be approved by the Planning Commission on Sept. 29; if the CUP is denied, the event and some approvals would be affected.

Owners and licensing staff said the event would include food trucks occupying much of the parking area and that the owners plan to shuttle attendees to reduce neighborhood parking impacts. The council discussed the applicant’s plan for alcohol service; the licensing board approved an exemption allowing the outside service area to exceed the interior service area, and staff said the outdoor drinking area will be fenced and limited to the map approved as part of the premises amendment.

The council also approved the regular Class B malt and liquor license for Silver Moon Watertown LLC for the 2025–26 license year, subject to inspections and the conditional use permit. That annual license vote was taken separately and approved by voice vote.

The matter remains contingent on Planning Commission action on Sept. 29 and ongoing city inspections. Neighbors said they plan to continue monitoring the approvals and the proposed Oct. 4 event.