Westwood Council Approves Outdoor Dining Changes

Outdoor diners in Westwood will be able to enjoy a glass of wine with their meals and some restaurants will be allowed to seat a larger number of customers outside than in the past, due to a change in the borough's outdoor dining regulations.

The Westwood Mayor and Council approved three ordinances Tuesday which update the borough's zoning code. The changes were made at the recommendation of the new Master Plan re-examination, which the Planning Board finished last year

"This was done to promote commerce and business in the Central Business District," Mayor John Birkner said.

The new ordinances include one which allows diners to have alcohol while seated in a restaurant's outdoor dining area and changes the maximum of eight outdoor seats to a formula of no more than one table and two chairs for every five feet along the restaurant's front.

Also included in the new ordinance is a change in how applying for outdoor dining permits works. Instead of restaurant owners having to apply for a new permit each year, the borough zoning officer will automatically review the permit.

Another new ordinance the council adopted Tuesday creates rules for underground parking garages in the Central Business District and Special Pedestrian Environment District. Any garage would be limited to one level and have to be at least 50 feet from an intersection and meet the same setbacks required of structures build on the site. The new ordinance also banned drive-thru facilities from the zone.

A third ordinance allows nutritionists, dieticians and physical therapists to have offices in the borough's Office District and Central Office District.

No changes were made to the zone containing the defunct Chevrolet dealership on Kinderkamack Road. Members of the borough's Zoning Board cited the Master Plan re-examination last week when they to replace the former dealership with a five-unit shopping center. The re-examination had not recommended any changes to the zone.