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Select Board grants Iris Hotel liquor and restaurant permits with indoor-only entertainment and December review
Summary
After neighbors urged indoor-only entertainment and close oversight, the Brookline Select Board approved the Iris Hotel's common victualler, all-alcohol and entertainment licenses with conditions that entertainment be restricted to indoor areas, set nightly hours aligned with nearby hotels, and required a return hearing in December to review operations.
The Brookline Select Board voted July 23 to approve a package of licenses for the Iris Hotel, 30 Webster St., imposing several conditions aimed at limiting noise and ensuring local oversight.
The action, taken after a lengthy public hearing that drew a petition and multiple neighborhood speakers, included approval of a common victualler (restaurant) license, an all-alcohol license and an entertainment license. The board attached two main conditions: entertainment must be confined to indoor areas, and the hotel must return for a Select Board hearing in December so the board can review operations and resident concerns.
Neighbors and town meeting members urged the board to limit outdoor sound and to monitor management after opening. Jonathan Davis, a town meeting member for Precinct 17, told the board, "I think all entertainment should be confined to inside the Hotel building," saying the narrowness of Webster Street and adjacent walk-up apartments make outdoor sound disruptive. Bruce Levan submitted an 80-signature petition from abutters and warned that an entertainment license that includes instruments "is a slippery slope".
Robert Allan, counsel for the applicant, and hotel representatives described the operation and management plan. Allan said the hotel is positioned for extended-stay guests and argued that a liquor license is customary and necessary for hotel operations, adding the hotel would return to the board in December for follow-up.
Board members balanced neighbors' concerns against the town's interest in supporting hotels and local businesses. David Perman said he did not favor "hamstringing a hotel as it's opening" and supported issuing the licenses with the proposed conditions that indoor entertainment is required and that the Select Board will hold a December review. Paul Warren proposed the indoor-only condition and the motion carried.
The board also clarified operating hours: the licensed bar and restaurant hours will generally match nearby hotels (closing by midnight under current town practice), and the applicant agreed to make adjustments if neighborhood complaints arise.
What happens next: The hotel must comply with the conditions on its licenses and will appear before the board in December for a status hearing. The town retains enforcement options, including fines or license action, should violations occur.
