Sylva expands outdoor seating downtown

Sylva expands restaurants to cease sidewalk dining should the DOT or the town need to access the area to seat guests in previously off-limits areas like sidewalks and parking areas so long as they meet social distancing and capacity restriction requirements. Final approval from the N.C. Department of Transportation is required before restaurants can start placing tables on sidewalks, however. The town is still working with the DOT to gain that approval.

The ordinance states that dining, but ADA parking for any construction or maintenance project. outdoor seating Finally, the ordinance makes it clear that permits will be granted on a case-by-case basis and additional requirements can be downtown imposed on individual businesses if needed. The town also has the right to refuse to issue BY HOLLY KAYS posed activity cannot be conducted safely. S TAFF WRITER “We hope to get something going fairly

Pandemic-induced public health rules quickly for our restaurants,” Morgan said in are severely impacting bottom lines for a follow-up interview. restaurants nationwide, but members Several restaurants interested in taking of the Sylva Town Board hope that an effort advantage of the new rules have contacted to expand outdoor seating opportunities the county, which contracts with the town downtown will help ease the pain on Main to provide planning and code enforcement Street. The town has passed two ordinance services. Senior Planner John Jelenewski changes this summer to pave the way for said that White Moon Café has been increasing the outdoor table space available approved for sidewalk seating and Ilda has to downtown eateries. been approved to construct an outdoor

In a unanimous vote July 27, commisseating area on its property. Innovation sioners created a temporary amendment to Brewery has already repurposed its onsite the zoning ordinance that allows restaurant parking area for expanded outdoor seating. tables on right-of-way property downtown. Several other establishments have made Under the temporary rules, businesses can requests or inquiries but are still working receive temporary zoning permits at no cost through the process.

a 50 percent reduction in off-street parking is allowed to accommodate outdoor Innovation Brewing has turned its onsite parking into an expanded outdoor seating area. Holly Kays photo any requested permit if it concludes the promust be maintained, and disturbance of To ensure safety for diners, the town is vehicular traffic flow is prohibited. The purchasing 25 jersey-style traffic barriers policy will expire 30 days after Gov. Roy and 25 metal crowd fencing panels to place Cooper ends capacity restrictions for around those areas. The purchases will be indoor restaurant seating. funded using $10,372 of the $411,583 the

“The bottom line is we’re trying to do town received in CARES Act funding. There something that will allow our restaurants to are strict limits as to what those funds can expand their seating, expand their business be used for, but one of the allowed categories so it will help them in this economic downis economic support. Morgan believes the turn,” Interim Town Manager Mike Morgan barriers fall into that category. told commissioners July 27. “This opens up many other doors,” he

On Aug. 27, commissioners passed a sectold the board July 27. “After the pandemic ond ordinance change that outlines some is passed, we will still be able to have the additional rules for sidewalk dining. Like the barricades, and (Public Works Director Jake first, this ordinance will expire 30 days after Scott) can use them for other festivals and capacity restrictions for indoor restaurant downtown events that we have. It’s a golden seating end. opportunity for us to reuse the barricades.”

Under the ordinance, tables and chairs Most of Sylva’s CARES Act money — must be at least 6 feet away from any travel $391,846 — will reimburse the town for lane, be placed so as to leave at least 5 feet of dollars it spent on police officer salaries unobstructed sidewalk width and avoid between May and August, meaning that the obstructing entrances, exits, driveways, fire funds will ultimately roll over to the general hydrants and the like. Sidewalk dining fund. An additional $4,737 will go to purwould not be allowed on roadways where the chase two laptop computers complete with posted speed limit exceeds 45 miles per all the necessary software licenses and hour, and restaurants must have adequate hardware, and $4,628 will be used for perliability insurance and agree to hold the sonal protective equipment in the police DOT and the town harmless in any potential department. lawsuit originating from sidewalk dining The barriers have been ordered and activities. The ordinance also requires should arrive soon, Morgan said.