Katie Siefkes
License Investigator
Oregon Liquor Control Commission
2146 NE 4th Street Suite 160
Bend, OR 97701
Re: The Riverside Market & Pub
The Riverside Market & Pub is located within the boundaries of the Old Bend Neighborhood Association (OBNA). Old Bend Neighborhood includes the Old Town and Drake Park Neighborhood Historic Districts, the Mill Addition, Mirror Pond, Drake Park and Miller’s Landing.
The Riverside Market and Pub is a long-existing commercial use in an otherwise densely populated neighborhood. The Riverside is a popular neighborhood establishment and we support owner Jonathon Gaipo’s request to the OLCC for an extension of their outdoor seating area. While supporting the request for approval, the OBNA urges the OLCC to advise the Riverside’s owner of our concerns about parking, noise, and on-site smoking.
Since the adjoining neighborhood is quite dense, with little off-street parking, we hope that the three parking spots that will be vacated by the enlargement of the outdoor area can be re-located. We strongly support the termination of the three spaces as presently they pose a hazard; we support a realignment of the parking area on the north side of the lot, along with the addition of a roadside parking spot that should become available when the southern parking is vacated and the egress is closed. We also support the owner’s suggestion to include additional bicycle parking.
We were pleased to see that the owner plans to continue closing no later than 10 pm. We request that he also encourages patrons to leave the premises at closing time. Again, due to the area’s density, any nighttime noise is amplified, especially during the summer when neighbors’ windows are open.
We appreciate the development of a specific smoking area and we hope that the owners will consider becoming a smoke free establishment. It is our belief that the outdoor changes being proposed should encourage more families to utilize this outdoor space. We further believe that a smoke free environment would add to their enjoyment.
Again, we support the owner’s request to the OLCC for an extension of their outdoor seating area. We believe this addition, along with other improvements to the existing outdoor area, can only add to our already vibrant neighborhood.
Thank you,
Old Bend Neighborhood Association