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Board hears Fat Stew’s plan for family burger restaurant; hearing closed for drafting
Summary
An attorney and the owners presented a proposal to open Fat Stew’s All American Burger at 157 Merrandick Ave.; the board closed the hearing pending a drafted resolution and said it would try to expedite a decision because the applicant is carrying holding costs for the site.
The Board of Appeals heard a presentation from Mark Chermelli, attorney for 157 Burger LLC, and owner-operators John Steubenvall and Nicole Gagnon on a special-permit application to operate Fat Stew’s All American Burger at 157 Merrandick Avenue.
Chermelli said the submission and public notices had been made and described the proposal as a family-friendly, full-service burger restaurant with carry-out and no live music or dancing. Owner John Steubenvall said the concept already operates successful locations in Harrison and Port Chester and emphasized menu variety and a community focus.
Board members asked technical questions about code provisions and operations. One board member raised a possible limit on counter seating under a cited code section, but another member clarified that the cited restriction applies to C1 zoning and the site is in a different district, so the limit did not apply to this location. The applicant confirmed planned hours (weekdays 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays to 10 p.m.) and said there would be no live music or dancing.
The applicant asked the Board to expedite action because the business is carrying holding costs while waiting to renovate. The Board closed the public hearing and directed staff and counsel to draft a resolution consistent with the discussion; counsel said a draft could be ready within days and the filing would follow once finalized. The Board noted that final approvals and a permit to operate remain contingent on subsequent filing and the building department’s permit process.
Next steps: staff will prepare the draft resolution for the Board’s review and the applicant must secure the building department permits before operating.
