Year- round dining on sidewalks possible

WEST CHESTER » Year- round outdoor dining on borough sidewalks might soon be possible.

The three- member Smart Growth Committee voted unanimously, at Wednesday’s meeting, to recommend to full council, at next week’s meeting, that restaurants be allowed to set up tables on sidewalks.

Sidewalk dining is allowed with a café permit from April 1 to Nov. 15. The four- block closure of Gay Street, with the highly successful Open Air Market, is scheduled to end at the end of this month.

Business Improvement Executive Director John O’Brien favors year- round sidewalk dining.

“We need to give a great degree of flexibility to our restaurants and retail,” O’Brien said. “As we head into the winter, every store is scared about a drop off in business and the ability to survive.”

Restaurants are now allowed to serve inside at 50 percent capacity. Some fear that the percentage may drop to 25 percent occupancy or less if COVID infections continue to increase.

O’Brien said some diners at busy times were willing to wait up to 90 minutes for an outside table, rather than immediately take an indoor seat, during the ongoing closure of Gay Street.

Borough Manager Mike Perrone said existing platforms would need to be removed to facilitate snow removal.

“Through the winter months, leave it up the restaurants to

keep their customers cozy and warm,” Perrone said. “We will do what we can to help.”

Not every day will be ideal for al fresco dining.

“We get occasional warmish days,” O’Brien said. “It would be nice for restaurants to have that fl exibility and to give the restaurants those tools.”

Council members and committee members Don Braceland, Bill Scott and Michael Stefano were all in favor and will have a say at next week’s borough council meeting.

BILL RETTEW — MEDIANEWS GROUP Outdoor dining may be expanded onto Gay Street in West Chester.