Fort Erie to allow patio creation or expansion for restaurants
Published July 9, 2021 at 6:40 pm
Fort Erie is trying to give its restaurants, already hit hard by COVID-19 restrictions, a quick leg-up, allowing all restaurants and bars the opportunity to temporarily create or extend their outdoor patio.
Recent changes to Ontario legislation has put the Town into the position where it can make this tweak to their own bylaws.
However, all restaurants, whether licensed or unlicensed, will have to fill out an application with the Town to ensure their expansions still conform to existing bylaws.
Licensed establishments may create a patio adjacent to their premise or increase the size of their patio now that they are permitted to welcome patrons on-site.
“This temporary measure will allow the public to safely enjoy service that meets social distancing requirements and other public health guidelines,” said the Town in a release.
Neither the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) nor the Town will require licensees to apply or pay a fee for these temporary extensions.
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Under present Fort Erie bylaws, a restaurant is considered “a building or part of a building where food is offered for sale or sold to the public for immediate consumption and includes such uses as an eat-in restaurant, take-out restaurant, drive-in restaurant, drive thru restaurant, cafe, cafeteria, ice cream parlour, tea or lunch room, dairy bar, coffee shop, snack bar or refreshment room or stand, but does not include a boarding or lodging house.”
Interested eateries can find the application on the Fort Erie website under the drop-down for business.
(Photo courtesy of Fort Erie restaurant Commercial Roadhouse Facebook)
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