The Falls Township Board of Supervisors will be permitting outdoor dining on a permanent basis.
The ordinance was approved by the supervisors last week and took effect on Saturday.
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At their June meeting, the supervisors approved advertising the proposed ordinance that sought to “centralize regulations related to outdoor dining.”
Restaurants are able to offer outdoor dining by right or under condition use.
Outdoor dining is allowed at freestanding restaurants, bars/taverns, nightclubs, lounges, or other related principal permitted use that has indoor seating, officials said.
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Under the new ordinance, restaurants are no longer able to use parking spaces for outdoor dining.
The ordinance states “areas for outdoor dining shall not interfere with any means of ingress or egress to a building, or with any emergency or safety exits.”
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The ordinance also requires eateries to have a minimum sidewalk width of five feet which is separate from the area reserved for outdoor dining. It further states the property “must provide adequate parking for the principal use” and include pedestrian barriers to either enclose or separate outdoor diners from pedestrians or motorists.
Alcohol sales are not in the jurisdiction of the township and that falls to the state.
Township solicitor Lauren Gallagher told the supervisors the ordinance better sets out provisions that have been used through the pandemic.
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Officials said the township received positive feedback about outdoor dining during the pandemic.
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