Southwick Board of Health Backs Outdoor Seating Plan for Local Crepe Restaurant

Board of Health · Meeting of March 10, 2026

Southwick's Board of Health voted 3-0 to recommend outdoor gazebo seating at Alpha Crepes Tea House, with strict conditions protecting the town's septic system. The unanimous roll-call vote by Chair Terry Putnam, Eric McCarty, and Trisha Lemananek endorses 10 designated chairs in the restaurant's first gazebo, limited to the Memorial Day through Labor Day season, on a reservation-only basis with owner and management controlling key access. Attorney Rachel Fancy, representing the owner identified as Art, argued that reallocating seats within the existing 93-patron permit does not increase septic load.

A first violation of the cap bumps designated seats to 15; a second to 20. The board set a probationary review for November 30, 2026, with a possible six-month extension if violations occur or usage data is insufficient. Health Director Kayleen Simons separately flagged a 33-year-old, never-used septic system on Humble Lane as a potential liability for a new home sale, with a Title V inspection pending and the board's consultant budget of $2,000 already overspent against an available balance of $5,435.

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Source: the Board of Health meeting of March 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.