Danvers Essex Tech's 'The Larkin' Entertainment License Approved With Conditions

DANVERS, MA — A weeks-long back-and-forth about how — and how often — Essex Tech will be able to use its newly rebuilt The Larkin on South Campus ended with a compromise on Tuesday that places limits on that use and included the withdrawal of a school request for a full liquor license.

The Select Board ultimately approved a seven-day entertainment license with the conditions that no outside entertainment be allowed at events, entertainment must conclude by 9 p.m. each event, that non-school events be limited to three days per week, that neighbors have access to a contact person for events and that the school log and respond to any issues from abutters, and that school officials return to the Board for an updated license in December.

Select Board member Gardner Trask proposed the bulk of the conditions, which were cordially negotiated with Essex Tech Superintendent Heidi Riccio during the meeting. One condition that was dropped was a proposal to eliminate private, commercial events entirely.

"It's nice that we can talk about this," Select Board Chair Maureen Bernard said. "Little give or take on everything. We want everybody to be successful. We want to make sure we are sympathetic to the residents with their concerns. We're going to hold you, as good neighbors, to your word."

Some neighbors said that the school has already been a challenge with traffic, noise, parking issues and other concerns without the new event center, while some Select Board members worried about the fairness of having a school-affiliated "deregulated LLC" that does not pay taxes competing for commercial events with other businesses in town.

"If I had my way, I would just say 'absolutely not,'" said Select Board member Dee Djoko, who ultimately voted for the license with conditions. "But I do want the school to succeed. I live there and the concerns that the residents have, I do have the same concerns."

Select Board member Michael Bean was the lone member who voted against the entertainment license.

"I just feel like there are a lot of holes in this," he said. "It just doesn't feel right. I think that (Essex Tech officials) have to provide more definitive answers for everything because you are located where you are."

Riccio said the intent of the Larkin Center is to host events that will be educational in nature for students in the culinary arts program and other related programs, with students working under the direction of Essex Tech staff. She said private companies would only be used in cases where student employment was not available.

She added that the outside use of the Larkin Center would be of little difference to how the school rents out its auditorium, gym and field space now to raise money for programs and offset costs in the same way that Danvers Public Schools do.

"It's not a for-profit entity," Riccio said. "It's not a private business. It's attached to a regional vocational and agricultural school. ... We are not the only school district (in Danvers) that rents space. ... It is a revenue source. It is how we are able to maintain our fields. Run programs for our kids. Keep our costs down.

"And also offset the assessments to all of our sending communities."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)