Howard County Executive Files Emergency Legislation To Extend Outdoor Dining

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COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ) — Howard County Executive Calvin Ball filed exigency authorities to widen outdoor eating until November 15, 2021 for restaurants and bars that added oregon expanded work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the past fewer months, I person visited dozens of restaurants wherever the owners accidental they are opening to retrieve from the losses suffered during the pandemic,” said Ball. “By allowing them to proceed to connection outdoor seating, we anticipation they volition beryllium capable to rebound adjacent much quickly. I americium optimistic the County Council volition ballot to o.k. the hold by month’s end.”

Ball announced a caller impermanent usage licence for outdoor array work successful June 2020, allowing bars and restaurants to make oregon grow their outdoor eating space.

More than 60 restaurants applied for the permits. The impermanent usage permit, which is tied to the county’s authorities of emergency, is acceptable to extremity connected Aug. 15, 2021.

“We got into this concern for the emotion of hospitality, but it isn’t precise hospitable to contradict patrons extracurricular seating wherever they would consciousness much comfy and safer,” said Tricia Hudson, owner/operator of Hudson Coastal Raw Bar and Grill and a subordinate of the Executive Board of the Restaurant Association of Maryland. “We anticipation that the Council works expeditiously to let restaurants to proceed with outdoor seating done November 15.”

Ball announced his medication is moving connected a process to let immoderate of the restaurants to marque the outdoor seating permanent.

“We person suffered. We person borrowed. We person begged to support the doors unfastened truthful our employees stay employed,” said Randy Marriner, proprietor of the Victoria Restaurant Group. “Anything that we tin bash to widen our play is captious to helping america get backmost to wherever we were.”

Howard County Board of License Commissioners voted unanimously to let restaurants, bars, and taverns to proceed to merchantability to-go alcoholic beverages.

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The argumentation allows alcoholic beverages, including cocktails and mixed drinks, to beryllium disposable for carryout oregon transportation from licensed establishments done astatine slightest June 30, 2023.