The Belmont music venue that was at the center of the debate over the city’s noise ordinance may have sounded its last note.
Philip Bogenberger, a spokesman for the Alcoholic Beverages Control (ABC), told C-VILLE that ABC "made numerous attempts to get ahold of the owner, and we sent a letter to him notifying him that the license was voluntarily surrendered." Jeff Easter, landlord of Bel Rio in Belmont, confirmed that he voluntarily surrendered the establishment’s liquor license yesterday. Easter also told C-VILLE that he is looking for possible new tenants.
The action came after "activities" during the Fourth of July weekend "got out of hand," said Easter. "They just shot fireworks up, and I think some lady was resisting arrest outside of Bel Rio. It was just rowdy behavior," he says, adding that it was "the straw that broke the camel’s back." A call to Bel Rio owner Jim Baldi was not immediately returned, and a sign on the door states that Bel Rio is closed for a kitchen renovation. However, Easter told C-VILLE he went to the building, and no apparent renovations were taking place.
Easter expressed concern that Baldi was not complying with the terms of his lease and creating a nuisance for the building’s neighbors. "So I called Jim and I told him no more of the late-night, private parties," said Easter.
On Monday, City Council will revisit an amendment to lower decibel limits in the Neighborhood Commercial Zone—namely, the stretch of businesses on Hinton Avenue in Belmont—to 55 decibels between the hours of 11pm and 6am. In March, Council lowered late-night music to 65 decibels after a public hearing. According to a staff report, the change in decibels has not made a difference in the number of calls to police.
According to Easter, Baldi told him that the new direction of the venue (more jazz music) would hurt business. “… the lease is very clear, it’s supposed to be jazz and similar music and it’s not supposed to be a nuisance to people around him,” says Easter.
“I think before, it really hasn’t escalated like it has in the last couple of months," says Easter. "And I think [Baldi] changed the venue a little bit, and I think there has been some behavior problems that really bothered me more than probably the music.”
Easter, who said Baldi told him to look for other tenants if he desired, said he is doing just that. "If he comes back and he wants to stay, that’s fine," said Easter.
Although no final decision has been made yet, “It’s still up in the air, because there are two other names on the lease and all parties will have to agree to it,” he says, Easter says he could see the space become a family restaurant.
“With the economic times, I think a casual restaurant could be a lot more appealing anyway. It would be so great to see all the neighbors walk to it and enjoy it the way it was set up before,” he says.
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