Elk Grove restaurants can expand outdoor dining for safe distancing amid coronavirus
Elk Grove officials on Thursday issued a local emergency order that allows restaurants to expand their outdoor dining areas onto public property, creating more space for safe distancing as Sacramento County prepares to revise its coronavirus health directive.
The county intends to issue a revised coronavirus “stay home” directive Friday that will allow restaurants to reopen for indoor and outdoor dining.
But tables must be 6 feet apart and customers should only dine at the same table with members of their household to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, which causes the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19.
The Elk Grove emergency order gives restaurants an opportunity to temporarily expand or add outdoor dining areas, according to a news release. The restaurants must first submit a no-cost application to the city’s Public Works Department.
City officials said the restaurant must have a plan for how it will lay out space that accommodates customers and meets social distancing guidelines. Businesses that use public property under this permit must return the property to its original condition upon conclusion of its use.
Outdoor dining expansion under this program is available until the local emergency is terminated. City officials said restaurants can increase outdoor dining on private property without a city permit, as long as they abide by the program requirements.
“It’s important to do whatever we can to support our local businesses and protect the health and safety of the community,” Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly said in the news release. “Social distancing measures require restaurants to reduce their indoor dining capacities – in some cases by half what they would normally accommodate.”
He said expanding or adding outdoor dining areas provides more social distancing space and can reduce wait times.
There are conditions for expanding outdoor dining under this temporary permit program:
- Dining areas cannot block vehicle or pedestrian traffic, or impede Americans with Disabilities Act access.
- Temporary fencing that is not taller than 3 feet must be placed around the dining area.
- Dining tables must be placed to allow 6 feet between groups of customers, and customers in the same household dining together are counted as one group.
- Unless hours of operation are expressly extended or restricted by the permit, hours of operation for outdoor uses shall coincide with their normal hours of operation.
- Amplified sound is not allowed.
- Temporary signage can be used to designate the use of public property for outdoor dining.
- Restaurants must comply with all applicable state and county laws and regulations pertaining to outdoor dining, including but not limited to alcohol sales and consumption.
For information about the local emergency order and additional resources to help businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, or download a copy of the permit application, visit the COVID-19 section of Elk Grove’s website.
