MARION — Looks like the newest iteration of the historic Mary Celeste will sail again.

After vigorous debate by town business owners and residents, the Marion Planning Board voted 5 to 2 to approve three special permits for the Mary Celeste Neighborhood Lounge. 

These permits would authorize the lounge, reduce the parking, and approve a reduced site visit. Eileen Marum and Stephen Kokkins voted against both special permits. 

Planning Board Chair Will Saltonstall opened the March 4 meeting by saying that the board could not hear all of the audience comments when the hearing started at the Feb. 4 meeting. The proposed project is a cocktail lounge would need 18 parking spaces, given its size.

One contentious issue in February was parking. But Owner Mike Achilles, said that the lounge has agreed to share the adjacent Hiller Fuels parking lot, in addition to its five spaces. The lounge would also use public parking at the Town Wharf.

After complaints about noise, Achilles mentioned that “we are installing a noise monitor to alert us in real time if the noise gets too loud. We want to put the board’s mind and residents’ mind at ease. I can commit to all of you that we will not be having a loud place,” Achilles said.

Mary Verni, the President of the Sippican Woman’s Club pointed out that there has been no approval, but the construction is being done on the building. Achilles clarified after the meeting that no construction has been done, and that Verni may have mistaken noise testing for construction. She was concerned about the desirability fo the Woman’s Club apartments in Handy’s Tavern with the new neighbors.

“If there is an issue, I’m not saying there will be, but our tenants are at-will,” Verni said. She was worried about being able to replace them, and  what the loss in revenue would mean for the Woman’s Club scholarship fund. “These aren’t big apartments, we have to find a certain type of person, ” she added. 

Saltonstall took the chance to ask the Woman’s Club how it handled parking. “We’re not being critical, we’re just trying to understand,” he stated.

Members responded that the group only has five parking spots, maybe six if filled correctly. The group’s general meetings only take place about five times a year and last about two hours with 30 people attending. However, that doesn’t add up to 30 cars as people carpool or walk. Another Woman’s Club member pointed out the building is grandfathered in. 

Other area organizations were more positive.

“This is a great addition to the Village,” said Dan Crete, owner of Salt Works Marine, adding that “A more thriving, friendly economy will probably enhance your ability to rent your apartment and increase your ability to market,”

“Every business in the Village uses that lot. The village absorbs parking really well,” Crete pointed out, adding that the town’s Master Plan is there to encourage more diverse thriving business in the village”

Peter Douglas believes that a lounge is a “terrific idea,” but disagreed with the way it is being done. He pointed out that the current  bylaw says that parking in an adjacent lot cannot be considered toward a business’ parking.   

“A permit that gives one guy a special deal is not the way to do it,” Douglas said.

Marum came out strongly against the lounge.

“To give the Mary Celeste a special deal to use the town parking is actually subsidizing the owners of the Mary Celeste. To really give another business special privileges is absolutely wrong,” she said. 

Neighbor Kate Ross of Kate’s Simple Eats, stated that “I would love to see a bar in town,” but added that “The reality of summer is that you can’t find a spot, because the streets do fill up. This town is mobbed with cars.”

She also added, “there are a lot of little accidents. I see them all day. So I want to bring up the safety element,” of adding more cars.

Planning Board Member Andrew Daniel observed that the town is uncomfortable with novelty.

“We have a problem with anything new using Island Wharf. Which is essentially like saying ‘we’re maxed out.’ The Village can absorb 8 cars. I’ve seen it many times,” Daniel said, adding that even when parking farther away and walking, “part of the beauty of the Village is the walk.”

Clerk of the Board Norman Hills pointed out that all of these are important points to bring up with master plan implementation committee.

Kokkins liked the idea, of a lounge, but found no support in the town-bylaw. “I support the idea, but the bylaw needs to be changed in several areas to support the change in use,” Kokkins said.

Commenters also raised the issue of whether the lounge was a restaurant or a bar.

Here, Town Planner Gil Hilario stepped in to offer advice. “One good way to tell with a restaurant vs. bar is to look at the floor plan,” he said, noting that the Mary Celeste seemed more similar to a restaurant than bar because it will have tables, not an open floor plan.

Planning Board members also weighed in on the location of a handicap ramp, expressing that the best location for it was likely wherever was closest to the handicap spot.

The Planning Board will hold a special meeting March 12 at 5 p.m. to register the decision.