Evansville restaurant owners concerned about coaxing customers back to their establishments have a new temporary tool- more outdoor seating.
It took some restaurant owners by surprise, but Monday afternoon Evansville officials announced that they can temporarily use their parking lots or those of adjacent businesses to create more outdoor seating during pandemic forced restrictions. The restaurants will just have to submit an amended seating plan to the fire marshal by email.
Under what’s called the Evansville Restaurant Relief Program, restaurants won’t be able to increase their overall seating capacity- that has to remain at fifty percent of their original capacity until June 14, and seventy five percent after that until the scheduled end of restrictions on the Fourth of July.
However, they can use outdoor seating to encourage diners who may otherwise be wary of indoor seating during the pandemic.
If restaurants wish to use more of the sidewalk or other public right of way, they’ll still have to follow the normal permitting process.
