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Board approves Beacon Hill lounge where you can hang out with cats; chairman votes 'meow'
By adamg on Tue, 12/06/2022 - 10:52am
The Zoning Board of Appeal this morning unanimously approved plans for a new Charles Street business that would combine a cafe, a small bookshop and a lounge where people could book hour-long appointments to spend time with up to ten cats.
Julie Nicolazzo still needs permission from the Boston Licensing Board to open the cafe part of her A Sanctuary Cafe at 80 Charles St..
The cafe would be the only one in Boston. The board approved a cat cafe in Brighton in 2016, but it closed long ago in a fur-filled downward spiral.
Nicolazzo, who has experience in both bakeries and as a feline behavior volunteer at the Animal Rescue League, would carefully select ten cats for their compatibility both with other cats and with people, her lawyer, Johanna Schneider, said.
The two-level cat lounge will front Charles Street through the building's large windows, so people from the outside could peer in. Appointments - at $30 an hour - would be required to actually enter the lounge.
A set of double doors, monitored by workers, would lead into the lounge from the cafe/bookstore - to ensure cats don't escape into the bookstore and cafe and so not bother people who either are allergic or just don't like cats.
People will not be allowed to bring their own cats - or dogs - into the space, Schneider said.
Schneider said there would be a separate area with a special venting system for litter boxes, which would be cleaned several times a day, with the soiled litter placed in sealed bins for daily removal. The space will also get a washer and dryer to remove fur and dander from the lounge's softer items.
The cafe, which would be open and free to the public, would have baked goods and other items prepared elsewhere. The "micro bookstore" would feature "a curated selection of books, not limited to cats," Schneider said.
The cat lounge would be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the cafe and bookstore 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Beacon Hill Civic Association voted to not oppose the proposal, which is as close as it ever gets to giving its approval. Nobody spoke against the proposal at the hearing.
During the hearing, when board member Eric Robinson, an architect, was asked his opinion of the plans, he replied, "Meow. Perfect." Later, when board Chairman Mark Erlich was conducting the vote, all members voted yes. He voted "meow" and the motion passed unanimously.
The proposal needed board approval because cat lounges are normally forbidden on Charles Street and because cafes with takeout require board approval.
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Comments
"The Beacon Hill Civic
"The Beacon Hill Civic Association voted to not oppose the proposal, which is as close as it ever gets to giving its approval"
Hahaha, depressingly true though.
Makes sense
The default answer should be Yes, not No.
If businesses needed the outright support of community groups, as opposed to lack of opposition, there would be even fewer permits approved. The permit boards should always default to giving approval if there isn't objections.
And if there are objections, they shouldn't automatically deny, just review a bit closer.
Non-opposition is all they can legally do
The Beacon Hill Civic association is not a government agency, and it has no legal say in approving anything. When the City of Boston asks, "Do the neighbors have any objection?" the neighborhood associations can either answer "yes" or "no." Non-opposition means, "We have no objections."
Back Bay association does that, too
But neighborhood groups in other parts of the city generally don't have a problem saying the votes to "approve" something. I understand the reasoning, but even after all these years,but still sounds odd to me.
"Approve" is not an antonym of "oppose"
They could certainly support a proposal without being in a position to approve it.
I think it's in part a matter of institutional credibility
For a neighborhood association to be taken seriously, it needs to take positions based on clearly stated principles that are stable over time and consistently applied from one case to the next.
If you support all applications other than the ones you oppose, then your support is of no particular value: the city looks at it and pretty much says "ignore their letter of support; they support everyone." If, among the applications you don't oppose, you actively support some but not others, you easily run into the criticism that you are playing politics, or that you are supporting those who are popular in the neighborhood or buddies of the leadership, or that you are pretty much randomly supporting some applicants and not others based on who happened to show up at the meeting that week, which also tends to lower your credibility over time.
I don't personally have much involvement with my neighborhood association, but they do seem to be consistent and principle-driven. I don't personally have anything to do with the proposed cat cafe either, although I think it's a cute idea and, even though I'm somewhat allergic to cats, I would likely pop a few anti-allergy pills and patronize the cat cafe at least a couple of times. With that said, I'd have a hard time taking the neighborhood association seriously if they were to make the argument to the city that our life in the neighborhood would be meaningfully worse off without the cat cafe.
In this case, I think "Seems OK to us; we have no objection." is exactly the right response to the city asking an applicant for a zoning variance to talk to the neighbors and see what they think before scheduling a hearing.
The two JP
neighborhood associations with which I am familiar, always vote "not to oppose" rather than "approve."
What a ridiculously
What a ridiculously complicated process for something very simple and successful all over the world.
Was it?
They applied, there was a brief hearing, and the permits were quickly granted.
It's not unreasonable for people to need permits so long as the process for getting them reviewed and approved is straightforward and not onerous. (It often isn't, but that's a separate problem.)
It’s only simple of a
It’s only simple of a Kathleen gets the cats.
We have no cats, Kathleen!
Nice reply from the board members
https://youtu.be/1rlSjdnAKY4
> The proposal needed board
> The proposal needed board approval because cat lounges are normally forbidden on Charles Street
While I'm sure the real reason is mundane, I like to imagine a group of 17th-century lawmakers making a point of specifically outlawing cat cafes on Charles Street in Boston Towne.
Actually, Boston zoning code really is that stupid.
Actually, Boston zoning code really is that stupid. The project was there precisely because that use isn't permitted on Charles St. I was watching this meeting, and the next project was there because a mortgage lender wasn't a permitted use in that location. The zoning code really needs to be rewritten to allow a lot more flexibility.
The code isn't completely insane
From a policy perspective that's not completely insane. There's a concept of local business districts: the intent, imperfectly codified in the zoning laws to be sure, is to have main streets populated by retail businesses that serve the needs of people who live nearby. Converting retail space to office space takes away space from businesses that serve the neighborhood.
Except
Back in the 17th century Charles Street wasn't solid land. It was still part of the river until the early 19th century.
Just one more reason
they didn't want any cat cafes there!
"Should there ever be such a
"Should there ever be such a street as Charles Street in Boston, and such a thing as a cat cafe, the latter shall be prohibited on the former."
books?
I can't believe they blew the chance to say they would have a "purr-ated selection of books."
...to ensure cats don't
Why keep the cats away from the bookstore?
Some people are allergic to cats
It says right there in the article - so that people who are allergic to cats (or don't like them - feh!) can use the bookstore and cafe.
I got bad news for bodega customers
There's cats in markets all over NYC and somehow allergic shoppers survive. If people don't like cats...don't go in the bookstore that's part of a cat cafe!
Cats are in liquor stores too
Cats are in liquor stores too in Boston.
They shoplift.
They shoplift.
Good to know that the curated
Good to know that the curated selection of books will not be limited to cats. Humans will also be allowed to read the books, thankfully.
I mean who doesn't love cat hair?
What is better than mixing cats with a bakery??
It will be easy to pick out the patrons as they will be the ones trying to get cat hairs out of their mouth and off their pants. I think I will open a store next door that sells only those sticky lint rollers and dental floss.
But then again, cat folks probably never notice.
As someone with a cat who sheds a lot
it's extremely easy to keep cat hair out of the food you prepare with this handy little tricky that some of us call "cleaning".
Do you have a dozen cats?
It seems this "cafe" will have a large number of cats.
I guess on the bright side it will be the only shop on that street that does not have a rodent issue.
Enjoy
Reading is fundamental
But sure go off
Curious...
What happens when someone with an ADA assist dog wants to visit a cat cafe?
Nothing.
Nothing. A properly trained service dog isn't going to be distracted by a cat.
The dog isn't
But the cats might. It's also potentially stressful on them even if they don't "do" anything stupid/aggressive to the dog.
It's just a collision that I wonder if there's any carve-out for in the ADA. Like "anyone with a service dog can go anywhere...except where the dog is a legitimate problem to the business" or something.
Ha yea they will be fine because they are trained...
But man I can't wait for the "comfort" animal to go to one of those places and start some trouble. I'm sure a good "Karen" video will come next!
A Smackdown
A Smackdown
Can we have a Puppy Patisserie next?
I'd pay $30 for an hour with some pooches!
Check with your local shelter
Some have volunteer programs where you can take a dog out for a walk and some socialization.
Another title
"Board approves Beacon Hill cat house"
Which would be apropos
Considering the occupation of a not insignificant number of Beacon Hill residents a half-century ago.
For $30 an hour
you get to play with ... no, I can't say it.
I think that was the going rate
Back in the day
James Bond would approve of
Pussy Galore...
Is no one going to say anything about
Chairman…meow?