Mayor issues executive order to allow city restaurants to add outdoor seating

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Monday, May 18, 2020 — Bardstown Mayor Dick Heaton signed an executive order Monday afternoon that outlines the requirements Bardstown restaurants must follow in order to add outdoor seating areas to their establishments.

The requirements allow restaurants to add outdoor seating to supplement their indoor seating, which is restricted to 33 percent occupancy by Gov. Andy Beshear’s “Healthy At Work” guidelines.

All restaurants will be required to comply with Beshear’s “Healthy At Work for Restaurants” guidelines, which are available by clicking here.

Outdoor seating areas must maintain proper social distancing between tables. The additional seating cannot exceed the establishment’s 100 percent capacity.

Among the relief proposed for restaurants, the city will waive fees for a required encroachment permit to expand outdoor seating, which can be set up on public or privately owned property (with owner’s permission). No bar or restroom facilities can be added, the order states.

If located in the city’s Historic District, a restaurant will be required to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Review Board. The mayor’s order states these COAs will be approved by the city’s preservation coordinator on the board’s behalf.

Businesses will be required to have the appropriate Zoning Compliance Permit. Any tent that is more than 400 square feet in size will require inspection by the Nelson County Code Enforcement office. An inspection by the city fire marshall will also be required.

For the text of the Mayor’s executive order and the regulations for outdoor dining, click here to download the PDF document.

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