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Lafayette Hotels seeks permission to reactivate upstairs restaurant; planning board waives sidewalk and schedules hearing
Summary
Lafayette Hotels proposed reactivating an upstairs dining space at a downtown restaurant for up to 80 seats. The board waived a sidewalk requirement, appointed the planning office as completeness agent and scheduled a public hearing; the board continued consideration for 60 days to allow the applicant to submit seat counts and revised plans.
Ramsey Lafayette, speaking for Lafayette Hotels, told the planning board the owners intend to reactivate an upstairs space at an existing restaurant for public dining, expecting about 80 seats and occasional events. "About 80 seats is what we're imagining," Lafayette said, adding the rooftop would be served by the kitchen downstairs and would not be intended as a late-night venue.
Katie Kelly (manager) joined the presentation and said neighbors and hotel rooms adjacent to the building factored into their operating plans; the applicant said they would be "very conscientious" about noise and hours. Planning staff noted the upstairs space has not been continuously operated as a restaurant in recent decades and explained that intermittent private events do not preserve a continuous restaurant use under the town code.
Because the applicant had not provided a precise seat count, staff told the board it could not grant a parking-reduction waiver immediately. Staff advised the board that the planning regulations permit reductions in parking where public parking, sidewalks and public transit are available, and documented there are roughly 92 parking spaces immediately around the site and about 96 spaces in the nearby Mile Road lot.
The board voted to waive the requirement for a new sidewalk for the site at tonight’s meeting, appointed the planning office as the project’s completeness agent to compile required plan notes, and scheduled a public hearing. The board then voted to continue the application for 60 days to allow the applicant to submit a final seat count, updated plans and any required building-permit submissions.
What’s next: the applicant will provide a firm seat count and updated site plans; the planning office will act as completeness agent and staff will re-notify the board for a future hearing within the 60‑day window.
