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One McDonald's open until 2 a.m. more than enough for Allston, civic association says

The Allston Civic Association will oppose plans by the owner of the Brighton Mills McDonald's to extend his hours until 2 a.m., the Crimson reports.

The association voted 7-6 to oppose the later hours. Members cited the precedent that letting the burger joint stay open would have and said only transients from away would be likely to eat there that late. Owner Bob King says he needs the extra hours to make up for the anticipated loss of revenue during the relocation of the nearby Charlesview Apartments.

King also owns the McDonald's on Harvard Avenue. Last year, the civic association fought King when he proposed a 2 a.m. closing there, citing similar concerns. However, the Boston Licensing Board - the ultimate arbiter on closing hours - voted to extend the hours, in part because the Kelly's across the street already had a 2 a.m. closing time.

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Comments

Members cited the precedent that letting the burger joint stay open would have and said only transients from away would be likely to eat there that late.

They went on to say, "...and fuck them. Transients should starve and die instead of being able to get a bite to eat at 2 AM."

By the way, is "transients from away" a code word for college students in Allston that I haven't picked up on yet? Because at 2 AM, the only people at the nearby IHOP are college students not homeless drifters.

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OMFG Boston is being overrun by HOBOS! Zombie Hobos!!!!! AAAHHHHHHHRRRRGGGG!!!!!

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Both the best kind of zombie and the best kind of hobo. Two two two mints in one.

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You'd have to walk 6 blocks from that shopping center to reach any place where someone lives.

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Tell that to the people who live on the street that is right behind Star Market, "Ron Newman". See: Holton Street, Antwerp St, etc.

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That is 6 blocks worth of distance across that vast and lonely parking lot.

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is right behind where Frugal Fannies is.

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he would even be able to recoup his operational costs for the extra hours, let alone any money that will be lost from the apartments being relocated. Late at night that are doesn't see much traffic, especially compared to Harvard Ave.

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Why don't we let the business owner decide that..? He might have a better understanding of what he needs to make a profit than you.

If the area has that little traffic then what's the harm in letting them stay open until the ungodly hour of 2 AM?

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it is up to the business owner to decide his hours, pending approval from the board. And it stinks, that as a franchise he can't do much to try to make up for the loss of residents in the area except either accept it or try to make more money by staying open longer.

I was merely stating my opinion that, given the location, I don't think he's really going to see enough business make the extended hours worth it.

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The open-late Harvard Ave McDonald's has saved me several times, as it is the only bathroom in the area that I can pee in. I'm pee-shy. Just thought I'd pass this tip along to fellow pee-shy folk. (And before you say anything, I always got a burger or something, and no, I'm not a transient.)

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"Yes, we'd like to stay open until 2am because it will save our neighbors from having their lawns peed upon. We'll be providing a public service!"

Might work :-)

Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com

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Wait, if the vote was 7 to 6, my mad math skilz tell me that only 13 people attended this meeting. Since when do 13 people get to tell an entire neighborhood what businesses can be there (Stone Hearth) and what hours they can keep (McDonalds)? I'm curious to know if any of those 13 attendees even live in the vicinity of Brighton Mills.

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There could have been more than 13 people there, but only 13 were eligible to vote.

Somebody who actually goes to the meetings can correct me, but I think you can only vote if you've been to at least three of their meetings beforehand.

And let's not forget these votes are really just advisory. In the case of hours, the final decision is up to the Boston Licensing Board. Although they will not vote on an application without neighborhood input, they can and do vote against whatever that input is all the time (such as last year, when they gave the other McDonald's the right to stay open later).

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You have to go to three meetings in a row, and then send in a membership form with proof you live in the neighborhood (like a utility bill).

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Somebody who actually goes to the meetings can correct me, but I think you can only vote if you've been to at least three of their meetings beforehand.

Actually, you have to attend three consecutive meetings to become eligible to vote.

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An interesting side note to this, which was not mentioned in this article, is that the owner was explicitly seeking a "Conditional License" where the continued operation of 2AM closing time would hinge upon the continued support of the ACA -- instead of going by the Boston Licensing Board's decision alone.

However, Paul and the lawyers present could not think of any precedent for such a "Conditional License" and therefore nobody knew what the details would be.

In addition, it appeared that the lawyer for the landlord was present and seemed to state that he was unsure if the lease for the property permitted 2AM closing.

The issue of profitability was also raised: the owner stated that he would not continue to operate a 2AM closing time if it turned out to be unprofitable.

Someone else noted that there is another McDonald's within a mile or so that is open until 2AM, accessible with a car.

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The entire city council of Boston is 13 people (9 districts plus 4 at-large). Don't be alarmed but they get to decide things for the WHOLE CITY!

Also, you pretty much got your other points wrong too.

Stone Hearth was up for a liquor license not a building permittance (ACA can't recommend on whether they open or not, just whether they get to serve booze)...AND the Licensing Board gave it to them in lieu of the ACA vote against it (until the ACA head Berkeley went out of his way to find a slip-up in the process that let him delay again...until the Licensing Board gave them a license anyways).

And nearly all of the voting members probably live in the vicinity of Brighton Mills because North Allston is largely family-owned (and the kind of people who go vote at these things) and South Allston is student rentals and subsidized housing.

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*The City Council is elected by the citizens to represent them.

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My informal observation indicated that the voting pretty much split down age lines. The older folks voted no, the younger folks voted yes.

The same held for the Pizza Days delivery hours, except the outcome was in favor. Close either way.

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Let the free market decide. If you see a problem, call the cops.

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