Tashmoo Expansion Hearing Set by Morristown Council

The Morristown Town Council will hold a hearing next month on whether to approve the liquor license for the expansion of Tashmoo on DeHart Street.

The hearing was scheduled for 7 p.m. April 2 after the council received a letter from Christine D. Conti-Collins objecting to the place-to-place transfer of the license. Under state law, the municipality must hold a public hearing on a transfer if the objection is raised.

The Walsh family, which owns Tashmoo and the nearby Dark Horse Lounge and Sona Thirteen, has submitted plans to the town to buy the adjacent property at 10 DeHart Street and construct a two-story bar and restaurant that would be connected to Tashmoo across an alley. 

Last year, the council rejected a plan by the Walsh family to build a bowling alley with a rooftop bar at 10 DeHart Street. Neighborhood residents came out in force to oppose that plan and they returned to the council on Tuesday to object to the new plan. Neighbor after neighbor expressed worries about the current parking and traffic situation and said the expansion would worsen the situation.

John Brady, of Colles Avenue, said the numerous bars in the area have resulted in “two Morristowns,” one during the day and the other at night.

Brady’s biggest concern was the lack of parking in the neighborhood and the addition of another bar would exacerbate the problem, disturbing the area’s historic character. Already, Brady said, he and his family are awakened after midnight by noise from “people who have had too much to drink.”

Brady said the council has to maintain a balance between what businesses want to do and residents’ concerns.

Mayor Tim Dougherty said the town’s parking authority is working on a plan to implement parking restrictions that would encourage parking in the DeHart Street Garage instead of on the street. He said an ordinance detailing those restrictions may be introduced in April.