Council approves restaurant use permit allowing shisha, outdoor dining and live entertainment in Hampton Woods center

Planning staff presented use permit 24-00454 for Pecolis Tapas & Shisha at 1144 Big Bethel Road in the Hampton Woods shopping center and recommended approval with 13 conditions. The proposal requested Restaurant 3 classification with indoor live entertainment, shisha (water pipe) service, and outdoor dining, with proposed hours extending into late night on weekends.

Staff said the location previously hosted similar operations and recommended conditions to address hours, capacity, sound, security, ventilation for shisha areas, and reactivation of the ABC license if approved. Council members questioned whether the applicant had held an in-person community meeting; staff said the applicant distributed a fact sheet to the same addresses the city would have used for notification and that community meetings are strongly encouraged but not required by ordinance. Council moved, seconded and approved the use permit with the recommended 13 conditions.

Council members and staff discussed ventilation and the need for a separate ventilation system in shisha areas to meet building-code requirements, and that outdoor dining is on a covered walkway set back from the sidewalk.