DECATUR, Ala. — The restaurant industry is suffering a tough loss because of the pandemic. However city leaders in Decatur are proposing an ordinance to allow expansive outdoor dining.
"Some people just tend to feel safer these days as we understand it eating outdoors, as opposed to being inside a restaurant," says Mayor Tab Bowling.
This past Tuesday, the City of Decatur Planning Commission discussed a proposed ordinance that would allow restaurants to serve customers on sidewalks and possibly parking lots.
"We have a planning commission and a planning department, our legal team and they all work well together in trying to determine how we get this done," says Bowling.
It would require each business to apply. "It would take the approval of the planning commission independently of each business that would apply to do this, and then finally council approval," added Bowling.
Bowling says this ordinance would give restaurant owners more space to serve customers, but there are some factors to consider. "If they serve alcohol there's some ABC rules that we've got to check on. We've got to make sure if they use sidewalk area in front of another business that that's okay," he says.
Owner of The Brick Deli & Tavern, Tina Hall, supports the idea. "Anything and everything that can help restaurants right now, because everybody's struggling - everybody," she says.
Hall says restaurant owners in the area are supportive of each other.
"Any day you're going to see the owner of Josie's here or Mo's or Mellow's, City Cafe, B.B. Perrin's. I mean there's so many - Bank Street Grill. There's so many good restaurants Downtown and we all go to all of them."
Bowling says city officials discussed action items on Friday that are now being worked on. When leaders regroup, Bowling says they'll have an idea of where to go from there.