Baltimore extending outdoor dining, street closure programs

BALTIMORE, MD (WEAA) — Baltimore City will extend its outdoor dining and street closure programs through June 2022. 

Both initiatives were launched in 2020 as a way to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Small businesses are the backbone of a healthy Baltimore economy and our road to recovery must run through them. The Outdoor Dining Street Closure and the Outdoor Seating Relief programs are a great way for Baltimore restaurants to expand their capacity outdoors while offering a safe, enjoyable dining experience for patrons,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. 

Restaurants can apply for two types of outdoor dining programs: The Outdoor Seating Relief Program which allows sidewalk dining and the Outdoor Dining Street Closure Program which allows for partial or full street closures for dining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2q_xWzdiqU

“Baltimore’s innovative outdoor dining programs helped carry many of our restaurants through the pandemic as they looked for safe and creative ways to continue their operations,” said Councilman Eric T. Costello. “Mayor Scott’s decision to extend these programs will better position our restaurants to continue contributing to a successful economic recovery for our City.”

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore president Shelonda Stokesadded, “If there was a bright spot in the past year it’s the way our communities and City government came together to help local businesses, and create new ways to activate public space. This is particularly useful in older communities where there aren’t patios or wide sidewalks to easily add outdoor dining.”