LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An expanded outdoor dining option in Louisville, originally created to alleviate pandemic indoor dining limits, could become permanent. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Metro Council originally approved a temporary ordinance in May 2020 that allows bars and restaurants to set up tables and chairs along sidewalks and parking spots

  • In June, the Council voted to extend that through Dec.

  • A council committee voted Tuesday to allow this expanded seating through 2022

  • This will go before the full Metro Council

 

An ordinance in May 2020 allowed restaurants to use parking spots and sidewalks to increase dining capacity. This was intended to alleviate restaurants while indoor dining capacity was restricted during the pandemic.

Monnik Beer Company owner Brian Holton was the first in the city to take advantage of the new option.

"They jumped in and tried to help find solutions for restaurants to have more outdoor seating capacity, especially, here in urban places where there is not a lot of room for outdoor seating," Holton said.

He added dining tables to on-street parking spaces and on the sidewalk of his business. By doing so, he increased outdoor tables from somewhere between six to eight, to 17.

With the end of that ordinance set to end in December, the Planning and Zoning Committee voted to extend the temporary ordinance through 2022. It will go before the full Metro Council for a vote.

Councilwoman Madonna Flood said extending a full year would give city leaders time to gather public input to determine if it is a change worth making permanent.

Holton said, he would like to see this option stay for good.

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