BOSTON — The city of Boston is looking to make it easier for local restaurants to thrive by cutting through some of the existing red tape.
Mayor Michelle Wu introduced the new initiative at Marabou Cafe in Mattapan on Tuesday.
She said that operating a business in Boston has historically been a confusing and long process, a process she’s familiar with.
“I know firsthand that opening a business is a huge undertaking, and I wouldn’t be in government today if I hadn’t been incredibly frustrated as a small business owner trying to open a little tea shop and coming up against one bit of red tape after another. So, it’s been a driving charge that we need to do better, and we need to be the city that is the easiest anywhere to open, invest, to build a life, and build a business,” Mayor Wu said.
Mayor Wu said her administration is looking to make those rules simpler and clearer, introducing three new initiatives.
The city is proposing a change to zoning codes, meaning permits for existing restaurants can be transferred to new owners rather than having to go through the permitting process all over again. Under current rules, takeout service is classified as a separate use, which triggers an extra zoning review even when a new owner takes over an existing restaurant without changing operations. According to the city, eliminating this requirement for takeout will shorten the time it takes a new owner to open a restaurant from four months to less than two weeks. The change is expected to particularly benefit coffee shops, bakeries, and ice cream shops whose business relies primarily on takeout.
The city is also looking to modernize zoning in commercial and mixed-use districts citywide, meaning certain aspects of the licensing process will be shorter. The city says this expands on recent rezoning work done in Mattapan Square, Roslindale Square, Downtown, and East Boston over the last five years.
Finally, the city wants to update online guidance so that the process can be laid out plain and simple for entrepreneurs looking to start or purchase a business in Boston.
The mayor said that conversations regarding new liquor licenses were what helped spark these new proposed changes.
“The city has now approved liquor license applications across 16 neighborhoods, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses and serve their communities,” Mayor Wu said.
The move follows state legislation signed in September 2024 that created 225 new liquor licenses over three years.
The proposals still need to go through an approval process, including the licensing board and city council, so they are not in effect just yet.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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