The St. Mary's County Alcohol Beverage Board on Oct. 10 conditionally approved a Class B restaurant beer, wine and liquor license for the Jamaican Grill, with a 90-day administrative window to complete U&O (use-and-occupancy), fire marshal and health department requirements. The board also accepted the applicant’s request for outdoor seating but left the outdoor-seating permission subject to final inspections and county approvals.

Applicant Yael (Yao) Hevy told the board he currently operates a Jamaican Grill food truck and plans to occupy a former Starbucks unit at 23105 Three Notch Road. He said the architect’s plans list an interior occupancy of 47 but that his current EDUs (equivalent dwelling units) show a lower count until connected services and additional fees are resolved. Hevy told the board he plans to continue operating the food truck in addition to the restaurant.

Hevy described storage plans for alcoholic beverages — a locked cage in the back kitchen area — and gave proposed hours (typically 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–8:30 p.m., with extended weekend hours). He told the board he expected to open in November but said final agency approvals were the controlling factor.

Member April Trossback moved to grant a 90-day conditional approval pending U&O, fire marshal and health permits; member Dave Wullenborg seconded. The motion passed. Board staff noted that if Hevy withdraws the outdoor seating request before opening, the change would be processed administratively and would not require the board to reconvene.

The board and staff asked for details on the location of outdoor tables and for confirmation that alcohol storage and point-of-sale procedures would meet age-verification requirements. The applicant said the alcohol cage would be mobile and located in the kitchen area and emphasized a modest expected volume of alcohol sales.