SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- In a meeting this afternoon, the Dewey Beach town council discussed whether or not to make outdoor dining permanent. They are now awaiting input from the planning and zoning commission.
In May 2020, restaurants in Dewey Beach were granted temporary permits for outdoor dining. The town issued these permits to help businesses navigate state mandated occupancy rules. Since then, outdoor dining has become quite popular in the area.
The temporary permits are set to expire on October 31, prompting 11 restaurants to submit conditional use applications in hopes of making the practice permanent.
However, the council decided that the planning and zoning department needs to weigh in. All applications were referred by the commissioners to the department.
The council believes this is the correct and transparent process to follow.
For now, any restaurant that submitted an application for today's meeting will be allowed to continue their outdoor services.
The next planning and zoning department meeting has not yet been scheduled, but this topic will definitely be on their agenda.
