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Select Board approves Foley family's 'Backyard by Foley's' licenses after long Dennisport hearing
Summary
After hours of public comment about noise, traffic and child safety, the Dennis Select Board unanimously approved Foley Hospitality Partners' seasonal liquor and entertainment licenses for an outdoor family‑oriented venue in Dennisport, contingent on required town permits and midseason and post‑season reviews.
The Dennis Select Board on Tuesday approved a set of seasonal licenses for the Foley family's proposed outdoor venue at 645 Main Street in Dennisport, voting unanimously to grant a seasonal all‑alcohol license (11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday–Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday) and an outdoor entertainment permit, subject to all building and health department approvals and a midseason and post‑season review with the board.
The decision followed more than two hours of public comment during which residents stressed concerns about noise, crowd size, parking, sanitation and the proximity of the venue to homes and the Dennisport Public Library. Supporters and business advocates described the project as an opportunity to revitalize Dennisport and increase foot traffic for local merchants.
Michael Foley, the applicant and proposed on‑site manager, said the concept is for low‑impact, family‑oriented programming with acoustic musicians, food trucks and temporary site fixtures. "This is exactly what we like to do in our backyard," Foley said, describing plans for a 15-by-15 foot stage for acoustic performers, a covered bar area and planting buffers to mitigate off‑site sound.
Town planners and the applicant described technical mitigations: a decibel meter located roughly 140 feet from the proposed stage to track ambient sound, stockade fencing and vegetated buffers along property edges, a security plan with entrances staffed for ID checks and wristbands, and a sanitation plan submitted to the Board of Health. The planning department required a baseline decibel reading and proposed that staff and an acoustic consultant help establish operational thresholds under state and local regulations.
Multiple neighbors asked the board to limit hours further and to set firm caps on amplified music after dark. The applicant acknowledged the town's enforcement tools and agreed to conditions: licenses contingent on all required town permits, routine decibel monitoring, daily reporting to planning staff and scheduled check‑in meetings with the Select Board (an early August midseason meeting and an end‑of‑season review).
Select Board members cited the project's detailed site plan and the town's ability to enforce license conditions as factors in their decision. The board also noted available remedies if complaints persist, including administrative review and potential show‑cause hearings that could affect licensure.
The licenses are conditioned on final approvals from the building and health departments and, where applicable, ABCC (state alcohol) review. The board's vote also included the applicant's commitment to return for the specified seasonal reviews so staff and neighbors can evaluate on‑the‑ground effects.
What happens next: the applicant may proceed with the town permit process; if the venue opens, the board will review data collected during the season and may adjust conditions based on experience and complaint data.
