Outdoor Dining Extended In Anne Arundel County, Limited In Annapolis

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Anne Arundel County on Monday extended its lenient outdoor dining rules through Jan. 2, 2023. The initiative started during the coronavirus pandemic and let restaurants place tables in parking lots. This increased physical distancing and bolstered customer capacity while eateries rebounded.

"The pandemic hit our restaurant industry more than almost any other sector of the economy," County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a press release. "Staff got laid off, business owners watched revenue plummet, and some were forced to close their doors."

Pittman introduced a bill last month to prolong the extra outside seating. It passed the county council with a bipartisan 7-0 vote.

These loose outdoor dining rules are not normally allowed under county code. The since-expired state of emergency let Pittman expand outside seating without changing local laws.

The state of emergency ended on June 9. Pittman and the county council then passed a law to allow extra outdoor dining until Nov. 1. The latest resolution tacked 14 months onto that permission.

"I want to thank the entire industry - the owners, the management, the staff - for your strength, creativity, and service to our residents over the last eighteen months," Pittman added. "You are making Anne Arundel County The Best Place - For All."

Different Rules In Annapolis

Annapolis businesses have different regulations, however. The city said goodbye to its outdoor dining program on Monday.

The state of emergency also ended in Annapolis. The city council did not adopt an outside seating extension like the county.

An Annapolis spokesperson told CBS Baltimore that the vacated parking spaces will help the town accommodate more shoppers during the holiday season. She also noted that fewer patrons would eat outside this winter.

Restaurants can still negotiate leases with the city to continue using parking spaces. These contracts would offset lost parking revenue.

Annapolis eateries with sidewalk dining permits can still continue their curbside service.

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RELATED:

• Annapolis' Outdoor Dining Rules To Change Nov. 1
• Outdoor Dining Extended Until Fall; Anne Arundel Emergency Ends

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