At a public hearing on Monday, Feb. 8, Beach Haven Borough Council members did not vote on local developer Bill Burris’ proposed plan to expand The Ketch’s liquor license to the current Boathouse restaurant across the street, both of which he intends to purchase, at the end of November. A decision will be made by council during another public forum at the temporary borough hall, on Pelham Avenue, on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.
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| Photo via Google Developer William Burris wants to do away with teen nights at The Ketch. |
The expansion of a liquor license to an adjacent location is allowed by state law. While some residents believe approving the expansion for this particular project would open “Pandora’s box” and require the town to approve all future expansion requests, Bruce Padula, the council’s lawyer, said each application is its own, individual request and the council must view it as such.
“You’re not allowed to treat everyone the same because no two situations are the same,” he stated. “No two locations are going to be the same. The applications aren’t going to be at the same time. So it really is a fact-based, individualized analysis that you have to do for each application. So the argument of precedents really should not factor into your decision.”
Councilmembers could impose conditions on the license, such as limited hours, that Burris would have the option to agree to or not. If the decision is left up to the state, though, it could be accepted without limitations.
Addressing the room’s concerns about the sale of liquor licenses, Burris’ attorney, George Gilmore, assured the audience that no one has the right to sell off half a liquor license, and the transfer would not create an additional one.
“There is only one license, and only one license could be sold,” he said, noting it could be transferred to another location in the future, which would require another application.
Because The Ketch and The Boathouse, which is BYOB, already operate as restaurants, Gilmore said approving the license transfer would not create a major change other than allowing people to order drinks instead of having to bring their own beer or wine. He said it would also fuse the funds together for more improvements.
The license transfer would allow the two locations to operate as one full-time entity. It is expected to have a more upscale feel similar to that of the Black Whale Bar & Fish House, on Pennsylvania Avenue, which is run by Burris’ partners, the local Nugent and Magaziner families.
In November, Burris suggested also adding a bridge connecting the two restaurants. Closing Dock Road to vehicular traffic was discussed as well, though Gilmore said Monday that Burris never intended to vacate the area.
“It’s not required by the law, but it seemed to be just a nice way to, A, connect the two buildings and, B, transport liquor from one location to the other without having to go out to the public right-of-way,” Gilmore stated. “Dock Road is simply that, a public right-of-way. The two property owners, under law, own to the centerline of the street, and therefore we have continuity of ownership between the two premises under our proposed structuring,” he added, noting there would be no liquor consumption in that area.
Burris had also originally intended to create a “maritime village” along the bay, though that was not presented Monday night.
Burris said he wants to do away with teen night at The Ketch and add a bar to The Boathouse building. Proposed modifications to The Ketch, including the expansion of the dining area and the extension of the upper deck to line up with the westerly border of The Boathouse, were approved by the land use board in November.
Monday evening, Burris suggested serving breakfast at the location, to avoid the late-night rush, and said he also wants to expand the wedding season.
Deborah Whitcraft and Jim Vogel, who live just east of The Boathouse at the New Jersey Maritime Museum, which they own and operate, said the project would make better use of the dock area. Local resident Barb Cona agreed the location is “underutilized.”
“I live across the street from this thing, and I see a win-win situation here,” said Vogel. “(I think) teen night is a nightmare, not only because I live there, but I’m also a first aider, and I see the police presence. A well-operated, adult bar/restaurant would be a major improvement, and it would require less police presence than what you have now.”
Whitcraft, a wedding officiant who said she has married thousands of couples, including some in the audience that night, also noted weddings are a major boost to the town, and the expansion of the liquor license would help bring some of the weddings to a “more appropriate site” and out of the residential areas, which has caused issues for residents.
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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