PEABODY — Tensions were high during a Thursday meeting of the City Council, which ran past midnight Friday as the council considered whether to amend Olio’s special permit.
No decisions were made; the council voted to continue the public hearing on the matter for two weeks.
“It was clear to anyone watching that the majority of councilors came into the public hearing yesterday having already decided how they would vote on our application,” said Sarah Narcus, who is a co-owner of Olio with her mother Ellen Basch. “This is extremely unfortunate, as we are just looking for our chance at a fair hearing.
“We heard (Thursday) night the overwhelming support for our amended conditions. Speaking on our behalf were the mayor, the Chamber (of Commerce), the city’s senior planner, and the immediate past president of the Chamber, amongst many others. Included in the meeting packet were letters of support from many neighboring businesses and Peabody residents. In opposition, there was just a single abutter: the ward councilor who lives behind us.”
Councilors heard from Narcus, who was requesting to update the hours of operation for her luxury event business located at 43 Main. St. in the heart of downtown Peabody. Formerly the Strand Theater, Narcus opened Olio in the spring of 2019 and has been operating the business under the 17 conditions stipulated by the council in its current special permit.
Narcus said her main issue with those conditions is that they are extremely confusing, particularly when it comes to restrictions on times she can start and end events, when she can use the parking lot behind her building, and when she is able to set up and break down different events.
“Conditions on our permit are cumbersome, confusing and limiting us,” Narcus said while addressing the council. “We are standing here trying to build some success in spite of the incredible odds before us. I’m just trying to simplify so I can fulfill the commitment to this council.”
City Councilor Peter McGinn recused himself from the vote, citing that because his property is next to Olio’s, he could not be an impartial member of the council. Despite his recusal, he still had a lawyer speak on his behalf. His wife, Jeannett, was the only resident who spoke in opposition to Olio, citing the disruption it could bring to the residential neighborhood behind the business.
Because Olio is an event space, it requires people to bring their own tables, chairs, decorations and anything else they need to make their event special. Narcus said that it takes approximately an hour to an hour and a half to break down or set up each event.
McGinn’s attorney, David Harris, said that extending hours of operation to 10:30 p.m. on weeknights and Sunday could lead to an event’s breakdown going until midnight.
“We’re not in opposition to this. We’re trying to make a positive step to allow this to happen,” said Harris. “I have no problem with what Sarah wants to do. It shouldn’t be changed to create the situation that I’m pointing out to you right now. “
Close to a dozen business owners and individuals, including Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr. and Ward 4 Councilor candidate Julie Daigle, spoke in support of Olio’s request.
“It’s a true blessing we have a main street that is a mixed development in business and residential. We want to help businesses and support quality of life,” said Bettencourt. “Hopefully a healthy balance between our business and residential communities can be struck.”
“What happens tonight sets the tone of how businesses will be treated,” Daigle said. “We should welcome any opportunity to keep business in the city. This is a score for Peabody.”
Councilors-at-Large Tom Gould and Jon Turco both spoke strongly against the new hours. Turco went point by point through 14 of the conditions and stated his reasons why they should remain the same. He told Narcus that these conditions are why she’s seeing so much success.
“You have to stick with the original plan,” Turco said. “You said you have a perfect track record, and I think that’s because you have the conditions you have.”
Gould agreed with Turco, adding that this plan works best for the community and that the councilors should be thinking about how the neighborhood behind Olio feels.
“The bottom line to me, 10:30 on Sunday through Thursday with an extra hour and a half to move everything out is just asking for trouble,” Gould said. “It’s asking for people to turn on you.”
Narcus said Olio has only had one noise complaint made during its entire operation. That one complaint came from McGinn, a fact pointed out not only by Narcus, but also by Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin and Ward 4 Councilor Joel Saslaw.
“She was entitled to a fair hearing and in my opinion she didn’t get one,” said Manning-Martin. “These women came to us begging for help after 18 months of the pandemic. Instead, she was scolded and treated like a little girl who needed to be taught a lesson.”
Saslaw agreed with Manning-Martin that Narcus didn’t get a fair hearing and the hearing failed to discuss what was best for Olio and negotiate a way forward. Instead, the hearing was used to push Narcus into a corner and force her to live with the conditions she initially signed.
“One resident spoke against it. The City Council wrote 17 conditions. I’m livid. I’m embarrassed,” Saslaw said. “We shouldn’t be an obstructive body. People talk about balance but there was no balance tonight.”
Narcus said she hopes for a better result the second time around.
“I hope that gives the council time to reconsider their positions, ask me any questions that they have, and work with me on a compromise,” she said.
