Greenfield EDC Votes to Seek Legislative Liquor License for Downtown Bears Den

Other Committee · Meeting of July 14, 2026

Greenfield's Economic Development Committee unanimously backed a petition to the state legislature for a new liquor license for the Bears Den, a restaurant planned by Gleason Ventures, LLC at 5 Bank Row, and signaled strong support for advancing a year-long data center moratorium to the full City Council. Chief of Staff Erin Holt, joining by phone, explained that Greenfield is at its statutory liquor license quota and a prior license tied to the property had been returned after back-tax complications, requiring legislative action; a seasonal license has already been secured for owners Adam and Kimberly Gleason. On data centers, Councilor Bolduc presented revised ordinance language offering three paths — a 180-day moratorium, a 365-day moratorium, or an outright ban — and the committee directed her to revise the moratorium to run 365 days, incorporate a more detailed four-category data center definition covering hyperscale, co-location, edge, and distributed fractional facilities, and remove language that would purport to compel the Planning Board to conduct research.

The committee also heard a presentation from resident Michael Mullen arguing that citywide parking minimums impose geometric, economic, and environmental costs on development, and asked him to return with case studies from comparable small cities that have eliminated their minimums.

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Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.