Eli's Outdoor Patio Debate Rages on in Milford

It’s the outdoor patio issue that just won’t go away. The Milford Board of Aldermen tabled a vote on whether Eli’s Tavern Owner Richard Ciardiello can use a sliver of city land for an outdoor patio area, reports the New Haven Register.

Ciardiello left the meeting Monday night at City Hall upset and said he feels like he’s getting the runaround from the city, the Register reports.

The aldermen said Ciardiello must get Planning and Zoning Board approval first.

He said he paid $2.4 million for the restaurant building and had been assured by city officials previously that he could create an outdoor patio and not having the space has hurt his business, the Register reports.

But some people oppose the idea including former Democratic mayor Alberta Jagoe and the owner of Cafe Atlantique, who said the outdoor area is a perfect spot for families, and if it’s used by Eli’s it could impact her business, the Register reports.

Last month a war of words developed between Ciardello’s paid consultant, former State House Speaker James Amann and Mayor Ben Blake over the patio issue. Read that full story here.

Read the full New Haven Register story here.