Tea room can't sell stronger stuff

Tarpon Springs commissioners side with a church in denying the Oxford House Tea Room's request to serve wine and beer to customers.

By KELLEY BENHAM
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 14, 2002

TARPON SPRINGS -- The Oxford House saw it as a simple request to let customers sip wine with meals or champagne at weddings. But the neighboring Greek Orthodox church saw it as a threat to children, a dangerous precedent and an affront to God.

For the Tarpon Springs City Commission, it brought the largest and most contentious meeting in months as parishioners of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral and customers of the Oxford House Tea Room argued for almost two hours over the restaurant's request for zoning to sell beer and wine.

Commissioners squirmed and shifted in their seats as they weighed the request, which they said met the requirements, but probably not the intent, of the city code.

In the end, after impassioned arguments by Boy Scouts, den mothers, restaurant patrons, priests, parishioners, parents and a number of lawyers, each commissioner took a deep breath and voted. Request denied.

"Nice and exciting," said the Rev. Tryfon Theophilopoulos as members of his church applauded, whistled and hugged. He said letting the restaurant offer wine would be like letting a camel's head into a tent. Other restaurants would want to sell alcohol too, and hard liquor and even drugs could follow. "We don't want the tea house to become a pub for the sake of money," he said.

Oxford House owner Janet Jones said she never intended to operate a pub. "We have no bar and will have no bar in the future," she said.

The restaurant is open only for lunch, but Jones would like to serve dinner at some point, and she occasionally holds wedding receptions where alcohol is expected. "I stand upon my reputation," she said. "We've always been a good neighbor to St. Nicholas."

None of the 25 people who spoke at the meeting questioned the reputation of the Tea Room, its owners or its customers. But several worried that it might be sold someday or that less reputable restaurants in the area would follow its lead.

The 1,000-member church holds Greek parochial school, Sunday school and other children's activities in a building that borders the restaurant property. Church members worried that drunks could harass the children or create hazards on the road.

The commissioners agreed that the request met the measurement requirement of the city code: The front door of the restaurant is well over 200 feet from the main entrance to the church, following the sidewalk. But, they said, the code needs to be changed if it would allow alcohol next door to a church.

Commissioners put a moratorium on similar requests until they can examine the issue.

"Let's go on record this evening to say we are adjusting that ordinance," Mayor Frank DiDonato said. "The law needs to be changed."

Despite the distance and a recommendation by the planning and zoning board, the commission was able to deny Tuesday night's request by saying the application was incompatible with the neighborhood.

"This is not a popularity contest," City Attorney John Hubbard said when he advised the commissioners they had legal grounds to deny the request if they wanted to.

Only Commissioner David Archie voted in favor of the application.

"The standards are what they are," he said, although he would support changes.

He said he wrestled with the decision. "When you bring children up here, oh yes, you have my attention," he said, referring to a half-dozen Boy Scouts in the second row. "I have an obligation, and that obligation doesn't sit well with most of you, and I know that."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright