Despite understandable pushback from restaurant owners, Lamont’s approach to reopening makes sense.

T he growing frustration among proprietors in the restaurant industry is understandable. It has been hard hit by the indoor dining ban that Gov. Ned Lamont ordered to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Lamont tried to ease the blow by allowing takeout sales to continue, but for most restaurants that has only provided a small fraction of typical sales, if they could provide the service at all.

Now, as the state inches toward a partial reopening on May 20 — and even that is not yet a certainty — Lamont has announced that restaurants would be included in the opening phase, but only for outdoor dining.

Some in the industry are pushing back, saying they can provide indoor dining just as safely. They note most restaurants do not offer outdoor dining or have the permits to instantly provide it. Even where available, it is subject to the vagaries of spring weather.

But for all these drawbacks, the governor’s approach — based on the advice of his Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group — makes sense. Polls show a great reluctance among the public to returning to dining in restaurants, but a greater comfort level outdoors. This makes sense because scientists advising the governor says risks of contamination are lower in the open air.

The outdoor option is a good way to rebuild public confidence, further expand the revenues restaurants are now getting from takeout orders and start to bring some semblance of normalcy.

However, there is that problem of many restaurants not having outdoor seating or permission to provide it. This is where our chief elected and local land-use officials need to be as accommodating as possible. The governor is ready to do his part, saying Thursday his administration is preparing an executive order giving municipalities the leeway to waive zoning and other restrictions and to permit liquor sales outdoors.

Possibilities could include temporary street closings to turn them into areas for folks to stroll — at a safe distance — and for carefully placed dining tables to be set up. Parking lots could become patios. Parallel parking spaces could be commandeered to allow for sidewalk seating and dining.

This is a time to resist those not-in-mybackyard inclinations. If the Greatest Generation could handle World War II rationing, we all should be able to handle temporary tables without complaint.

As for the weather, which has been unusually cool and damp, erect some temporary coverings and hope for a change.