Pittsfield Licensing Board Hikes Fees
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — During a brief meeting on Monday, the Licensing Board approved new fees for fiscal year 2027 and upgraded the Barrington Stage Company's liquor license.
This meeting had been postponed twice because of snowstorms on Jan. 26 and Feb. 23.
The City Clerk's Office joined the Building Department, Board of Health, and Zoning Board of Appeals to update Pittsfield's fee schedule for the first time in 10 to 25 years, depending on the department. The group compared licensing fees in other Berkshire communities as well as Springfield, Chicopee, Northampton, and Holyoke.
Chair Thomas Campoli observed that some of the increases are between 25 and 27 percent, and that the fees haven't been updated for "Oh, the many years."
Assistant City Clerk Heather Brazeau reported that Licensing Board fees have not been updated since 2017. She recognized that no one wants to ask businesses for additional money, but said Pittsfield's rates are low compared to surrounding communities.
"We looked at all of the other communities, kind of figured out what would be in the middle, what would be fair, how much of an increase there would be the first time, so that people weren't so taken aback," she explained.
BSC's Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center at 36 Linden St. can now serve all alcohol, instead of being limited to wine and malt beverages. The facility houses the 132-seat St. Germain Stage and Mr. Finn's Cabaret, a 99-seat cabaret space in the lower level of the building.
A state law passed last year allows restaurants and bars with existing wine and malt beverage licenses to convert their licenses to all-alcohol licenses.
On the agenda was an update from Chili's on its liquor license for the shuttered Berkshire Crossing location, but no representatives from the company attended the meeting, and it was continued.
The restaurant closed abruptly in August 2024 and has been looking for a buyer for over a year. Representatives have come before the board a few times with reports that there are interested parties, but no sale.
Last fall, Campoli reminded the company that under state law, if a licensee is not operating, the board has to "turn up the heat" to see if the license can be transferred or the venue reopened under a different owner.
At this meeting, they planned to discuss whether to begin the six months that the business has to reopen or sell its liquor license. The current lease agreement goes out to 2029, and the company, Pepper Dining Inc., is looking for another business to carry it out.
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