OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Cranston City Council Claims and Finance Committees Meeting - September 8, 2025

City Council — Monday, September 8, 2025
BodyCranston, Rhode Island
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, September 8, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:48:04

Transcript — Verbatim
15:57

All right, good evening.

15:59

And welcome to the September eighth claims committee meeting.

16:03

At this time, I'd like to call the meeting to order, and I ask the clerk to please call roll.

16:31

If there is anyone in chambers who would like to make public comment on agenda matters only, please step up to the podium, state your name and address for the record, and you'll have three minutes to speak.

30:12

Is there a second?

30:14

Any discussion?

30:16

Clerk, please take the roll.

30:19

Councilman Haroon.

30:20

Yes.

30:22

Yes.

30:24

Council present roll.

30:26

Yes.

30:26

Let the record reflect that there were motions made during the executive session.

30:31

At this time, I'm going to entertain a motion to seal the minutes of the executive session.

30:38

Any discussion.

30:48

Yes.

30:52

At this time, I'm going to entertain a motion to approve of the minutes of the August fourth regular meeting.

38:37

License committee to audit tonight.

38:40

Clerk, please take attendance.

38:48

Present.

38:54

Here.

38:57

Approval of the minute.

38:58

I'm looking for a motion to approve the minutes.

39:05

Clerk, may I please have a roll call vote?

39:11

Yes.

39:12

Yes.

39:16

Yes.

39:20

Is there anyone here from the public that would like to comment on docket items only?

39:26

You have three minutes.

39:35

Good evening.

39:35

My name is Heidi Smith.

39:37

I reside at Ninety Seven Garden Street in Cranston.

39:40

I am here in regards to the lunch box requesting to have late-night entertainment.

39:53

It says that the address is seven fifty-four Park Avenue, but it is really seven fifty-one Park Avenue.

40:00

So that is misleading about where the actual location is.

40:05

So where I reside, um where I reside in uh sorry.

40:10

So um it's already open until 1 a.m.

40:14

They already have a liquor license.

40:16

Uh as you can see on their Instagram pages, they are serving and they do karaoke.

40:21

There's no parking lot.

40:23

This is this is meant to be a small restaurant.

40:25

It's not meant to turn into a bar like venue, especially in this part of the neighborhood.

40:30

This is a neighborhood.

40:31

It's not like other areas of Park Avenue, such as um where they have park place or the Legion pub.

40:38

It doesn't have a parking lot, which forces the patrons to park on residential streets, including in front of my home.

40:45

Um I work on Saturdays and Sundays, so when those when those patrons are leaving, they do wake me up.

40:52

Um I'm worried about safety.

40:54

There's congestion, intoxicated pace uh patrons, potential for disturbances.

40:59

It also puts a burden on police and resources, and it's just not appropriate for this setting.

41:05

So I respectfully ask that you please do not pass this.

41:10

Thank you.

41:10

Thank you.

41:16

I make tonight.

41:23

Fire marshal for the city of Cranston.

41:25

Uh, just a couple of things on the docket tonight.

41:27

There's one of them, I believe it's uh 140 Comstock Parkway.

41:30

It's under automotive.

41:31

Um we haven't done their inspection yet.

41:34

It's kind of like a home base for them.

41:36

It's I think it's a it's not just a Rhode Island company.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Licensing And Permits█████████████████████████████████████████████45%
Procedural████████████████████████████████████36%
Zoning and Land Use████████████████16%
Public Safety██2%
Taxation Policy█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Cranston City Council Claims and Finance Committees Meeting - September 8, 2025

The Cranston City Council convened its Claims Committee and Finance Committee meetings on September 8, 2025, to address liquor licenses, entertainment permits, auto repair licenses, code enforcement, and financial abatements. The Claims Committee handled contentious licensing and enforcement issues, while the Finance Committee approved routine tax abatements.

Claims Committee

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Heidi Smith (97 Garden Street) opposed the Lunchbox Cafe’s request for late-night entertainment until 1 a.m., citing noise, parking congestion, safety concerns, and the residential nature of the neighborhood. She noted the venue already has a liquor license and operates karaoke.
  • Fire Marshal reported that Lunchbox Cafe (751 Park Avenue) has open building and electrical permits, and fire alarm/prevention systems are not signed off, recommending against approval tonight. Also noted 140 Comstock Parkway (auto repair) inspection not yet done.

Key Outcomes – Licensing Votes

  • Edgewood Liquors (1990 Broad St) – Renewal: Continued due to missing items. Motion carried unanimously.
  • Moran's Liquor Store (1621 Elmwood Ave) – Renewal: Continued. Motion carried unanimously.
  • Blue Allergy LLC (160 Atwood Ave) – New Class B-V Liquor License: Approved (6-1, Councilman Graziano abstained) to go to full council.
  • Malinos (889 Dyer Ave) – Renewal: Continued.
  • Cafe Lafredo (1686 ...) – Transfer: Continued to October 6.
  • BMC Petroleum (905 Cranston St) – Auto Repair Renewal: Denied (6-0) after three continuations and no response. Councilman Hary noted issues (parking on sidewalk, lights).
  • PZW LLC (265 Station St) – New Auto Repair: Application withdrawn.
  • Glass America (140 Comstock Pkwy) – Auto Repair Renewal: Continued.
  • Duncan (630 Reservoir Ave) – New License: Continued to next meeting pending health inspection.
  • Holiday Sale License at Every Inc. (71 Hillside Road): Approved unanimously.
  • Lunchbox Cafe (754 Park Ave) – Indoor Entertainment License: Continued to next meeting; council recommended applicant return with attorney, security and parking plan.
  • Oneyville New York System (1012 Reservoir Ave) – Review: No further action needed; no complaints received.
  • Runt LLC (500 Dyer Ave) – Renewal: Continued.
  • Mint and Mackey (2168 Broad St) – New License: Approved subject to health inspection.
  • Cafe Co-op (490 Atwood Ave) – New License: Approved subject to health inspection.
  • Mobile Food Establishments (A through O block, except I): Approved as block unanimously.
  • Phoenix Restaurant (961 Dyer Ave) – Indoor Entertainment Renewal: Approved after committee withdrew continuance; solicitor reminded of presumption in favor of renewals.
  • Forced Mug (594 Reservoir Ave) – Indoor Entertainment Renewal: Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items – Law Enforcement & Code Enforcement

  • Lawn Beauticians Property Update: Solicitor Badecki reported that the property at Natick Avenue has a historical nonconforming use (nursery) but may be illegally leasing space to Brightview Landscape Services (operating a business in a residential zone, expansion of nonconforming use). Citations are being sent to municipal court. Committee continued discussion to October full council meeting.
  • Businesses Operating Without Licenses: The chair noted many businesses operating without proper licenses for over a year. Solicitors Angel and Badecki recommended ordinance reform (fines, liens, superior court injunctions) for enforcement. Council discussed forming a subcommittee to draft stronger ordinances; Councilman Traficante suggested a licensing board model similar to Providence.

Finance Committee

Consent Calendar – Minutes

  • Approved minutes of August 4 regular meeting and August 20 special meeting. All votes unanimous.

Tax Abatements

  • Approved real estate, motor vehicle, and tangible tax abatements as presented by the tax assessor. All votes unanimous.

Adjournment

  • Both meetings were adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

All right, good evening. And welcome to the September eighth claims committee meeting. At this time, I'd like to call the meeting to order, and I ask the clerk to please call roll. If there is anyone in chambers who would like to make public comment on agenda matters only, please step up to the podium, state your name and address for the record, and you'll have three minutes to speak. Is there a second? Any discussion? Clerk, please take the roll. Councilman Haroon. Yes. Yes. Council present roll. Yes. Let the record reflect that there were motions made during the executive session. At this time, I'm going to entertain a motion to seal the minutes of the executive session. Any discussion. Yes. At this time, I'm going to entertain a motion to approve of the minutes of the August fourth regular meeting. License committee to audit tonight. Clerk, please take attendance. Present. Here. Approval of the minute. I'm looking for a motion to approve the minutes. Clerk, may I please have a roll call vote? Yes. Yes. Yes. Is there anyone here from the public that would like to comment on docket items only? You have three minutes. Good evening. My name is Heidi Smith. I reside at Ninety Seven Garden Street in Cranston. I am here in regards to the lunch box requesting to have late-night entertainment. It says that the address is seven fifty-four Park Avenue, but it is really seven fifty-one Park Avenue. So that is misleading about where the actual location is. So where I reside, um where I reside in uh sorry. So um it's already open until 1 a.m. They already have a liquor license. Uh as you can see on their Instagram pages, they are serving and they do karaoke. There's no parking lot. This is this is meant to be a small restaurant. It's not meant to turn into a bar like venue, especially in this part of the neighborhood. This is a neighborhood. It's not like other areas of Park Avenue, such as um where they have park place or the Legion pub. It doesn't have a parking lot, which forces the patrons to park on residential streets, including in front of my home. Um I work on Saturdays and Sundays, so when those when those patrons are leaving, they do wake me up. Um I'm worried about safety. There's congestion, intoxicated pace uh patrons, potential for disturbances. It also puts a burden on police and resources, and it's just not appropriate for this setting. So I respectfully ask that you please do not pass this.

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