Answer sought in beer, wine flap

In what they called a compromise, selectmen unanimously voted to hold a special Town Meeting next month to consider granting alcoholic beverage licenses to additional grocery stores.

On Oct. 21, Town Meeting will consider two separate articles that would permit locations other than Wegmans Supermarket to apply for off-premises alcohol sales. If both are approved, Westwood would be able to authorize six businesses to sell alcohol.

Wegman's would be one of the stores to locate at $1.5 billion Westwood Station, a housing, retail, residence and office complex proposed for land off University Avenue.

Last year, Town Meeting approved a measure that would grant Wegmans permission to sell beer and wine at its planned Westwood Station store. The bill, however, has been in limbo on Beacon Hill due to opposition that argues the measure is unfair to established businesses that would not be granted the same chance to sell beer and wine.

"It's essentially not getting through the House of Representatives in Boston," said selectmen Chairman Patrick Ahearn.

With help from state Rep. Angelo Scaccia, D-Readville, supermarket chain Roche Bros. is fighting a bill to grant a wine and beer license to Wegmans. The argument goes that granting the license would harm Roche Bros.' ability to compete unless it receives a license as well.

The new selectmen-sponsored petition, if approved, would allow for three grocery stores, in addition to Wegmans, to sell beer and wine.

"We would essentially have four licenses and be able to license any existing businesses" as long as they meet qualifications, explained Selectman Philip Shapiro.

Shapiro called the new proposal a "fairness and equity issue."

Wegmans, according to Selectman Nancy Hyde, requested a beer and wine license before the board in January. If the chain were not granted the license, she said, Wegmans would "seriously reconsider what they were doing."

One resident called Wegmans' strategy a "strong-arm tactic" and accused the board of "kowtowing" to the supermarket chain.

Selectmen hoped the new measure would help lead to an agreement between battling lawmakers.

Given the compromise, Ahearn predicted the original bill would soon be approved.

Since the matter is time-sensitive, Selectman Nancy Hyde said, it is in the best interest of the board to do what it can to move the issue along. She also added that she was disappointed in the Economic Development Advisory Board's lack of input on the issue recently.

Shapiro said the proposal would be "helpful to the town and the Westwood Station project."

A signed petition was also submitted to the town clerk by a resident with a similar, but separate, article.

The additional article asks Town Meeting to approve two licenses, along with Wegmans, to be given to grocery stores for the sale of all liquors.

Since the articles are separate, said Hyde, both could conceivably be approved, granting a total of six grocery store licenses.

Potential suitors for these licenses were not named.

Residents at the meeting called for the issue to be put on the Nov. 4 presidential election ballot instead of being left up to an underattended Town Meeting.

Ahern explained that it is likely too late to take such action, but, even if it were not, the issue would still require legislative action.

Selectmen also voted to include a placeholder article on the warrant in case Westwood Station developers sought land-takings in the area.