The city of Cincinnati just announced it is closing a number of streets and lanes near restaurants so that restaurants can expand seating capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 25 locations will be included in these street and lane shutdowns. Restaurants will be able to put more tables outside, such as in the sidewalks or in the streets, in order to maintain proper social distancing.
Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius has proposed a solution, which involves opening up many of the city’s public spaces for al fresco dining, allowing restaurants to have ‘outdoor cafes’ in parks and in the main square.
A number of Dayton citizens shared these posts, asking Dayton to do this as well. But today Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley announced that the City would not be issuing new or additional outdoor seating permits to coincide with the reopening of restaurants on Friday, May 15. The City will reassess this policy in partnership with Public Health – Dayton Montgomery County in early June as COVID-19 testing and contract tracing reach appropriate scale.
“As always the health and safety of this community is our top priority,” said Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley. “While we are excited for our local businesses to open we want to be thoughtful about our role in ensuring public safety.”
Additionally the City will not be approving permits that would allow restaurants to use parking areas or other areas designed for or typically utilized by vehicles.
“We understand how especially devastating this crisis has been on our bars and restaurants,” said Shelley Dickstein, Dayton City Manager. “During this time, we have been reviewing rules, regulations, and zoning codes in anticipation of the reopening of these businesses, as they navigate new safety and social distancing protocols. We will continue to work creatively to support our local restaurants and bars as they begin to recover from this crisis.”
