Sign of the Times: Handlebar Cafe and Kitchen Little PZC Brouhaha

Not thrilled but wanting to allow Kitchen Little to get on with its business, the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday approved a 13 square foot sign for the restaurant.  

“I think it’s time to let this property owner get on with business,” member Ben Tamsky said. But added his concern was about the “process.”  

And it was less about the sign that concerned the commission than the process by which it came to the land use board; after the fact.        

“It’s not fair that people are doing signage and other things by meeting with you in your office,” commissioner John Prue said pointedly to First Selectman Edward Haberek.  

Well before that exchange, Prue said the commission “should not be cleaning up messes on the backside,” referring to “professional conflicts” in the planning and zoning office.  

Chair Robert Marseglia asked pointedly: “What’s the root cause?”  

Members including Curtis Lynch and Fran Hoffman urged the commission to move the matter to an executive session.  

But Prue put it out there: “I’ll say it. The First Selectman and the (acting) director of planning wearing the same hat; that’s the problem.” Prue alleges the first selectman has on at least two occasions suggested business owners go ahead with plans and deal with approvals after.  

After the controversial Kitchen Little signage matter was put to rest, the Commission posed their questions and concerns to Haberek, who is “by default,” he said, Director of Planning. Members said Haberek advised Kitchen Little to put signs up and worry about approvals later.  

The Commission also complained that Haberek was intimately involved in the now-controversial signage problems at Handlebar Café.   The Pawcatuck-based biker bar recently underwent a major facelift as part of the Spike TV reality show Bar Rescue. The show did contact the town, as emails between planning staff and commission members reveal, to determine whether or not approvals would be needed for signage. But they never came back to get those permits or approvals.  

The Commission alleges Haberek not only was in the loop, he was intimately involved in the production; indeed, members charged, Haberek posted Facebook updates on the Café’s makeover reveal and advised that he would be in attendance.  

A large motorcycle mural was painted by members of the TV on the side of the building that houses the bar and affixed very large, oversized handlebars on top of the building. Commission members charged Haberek was allowing, indeed encouraging, businesses to do what they want and come in later for approvals, or, as in the case of Handlebar, face violations.  

But Haberek countered there was no favoritism, no deals. He said he was doing his job helping to promote the town and bring business, namely a national television show.  

The conversation devolved into a discussion of personnel and it was decided that an executive session was in order to hash out the problems the commission has with Haberek as planning director and planning staff.