Millbrook concludes public hearing on restaurant building

MILLBROOK — Continuation of a public hearing on the use of a restaurant building as a restaurant was the single agenda item at a special meeting of the Planning Board on Monday, Aug. 26. Following discussion, the Planning Board agreed to prepare a resolution to be considered and likely voted upon at its next regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 9.

Building owner Nunzio Incorvaia, who had successfully operated the Alden Place Drive restaurant for 30 years, attended the meeting, along with new tenant, Alberto Quezada, who plans to operate his Hispanic-American restaurant with a new name, Millbrook Continental.

The hearing had been opened on Monday, Aug. 12, but was continued for two weeks to give residents more time and additional notice of the hearing. As it turned out, no additional residents attended the extended hearing to offer comments and the listing of concerns remained the same.

Of concern to the two neighboring residents who reiterated the listing were noise, smoke from any permitted smoking area, garbage pick-up and especially hours of operation. Most of the concern stemmed from restaurant operations under a previous tenant after Incorvaia had operated his restaurant at the location. The building has been vacant for the past year.

During brief remarks defining his vision for his new restaurant, tenant Quezada said that he hoped for permission to be open seven days a week between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., but there were no plans for outdoor dining on the patio that could hold 3 tables and 9 chairs. Incorvaia confirmed that there were no plans to use the patio.

“When I was operating the restaurant, there was not a single complaint,” Incorvaia emphasized in addressing the issues raised, and in particular the schedule for trash removal from the enclosed trash area, agreed by all to be the only viable location for storage and pick-up.

During discussion of hours of operation, in view of neighbors’ concerns, board opinion leaned toward lunch and dinner service only, eliminating breakfast hours. The approved hours might be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“We need to keep in mind that it’s a residential area,” Planning Board chairman Frank Redl said.