Vienna Outdoor Dining Program Extended 6 Months

Vienna VA

07 December, 2021

9:17 PM

Description

VIENNA, VA — Vienna Town Council approved zoning ordinance amendments Monday to extend the outdoor dining program another six months. The text amendments include hour limits and reduced outdoor seating as Town Council intends to continue discussions for guidelines beyond the six months. The text amendments will allow restaurants with temporary outdoor commercial activity permits by the end of 2021 to continue to operate with those permits until June 30, 2022. However, outdoor dining located within 60 feet of residential properties will have hours no later than 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. In addition, restaurants using off-street parking for outdoor dining will be limited to eight seats per parking space. Applicants must also acknowledge they will follow the noise ordinance set in section 10-201 10-44 of town code. Vienna Town Council first adopted an emergency ordinance in June 2020 to temporarily provide waivers for outdoor business activity due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under normal circumstances, a business would have to seek a conditional use permit for outdoor dining with review by the Planning Commission and decision by the Board of Zoning Appeals. There is typically a $1,500 fee for a conditional use permit. In addition, off-street parking spaces normally cannot be used for outdoor dining. The emergency ordinance was extended several times since June 2020, most recently through Dec. 31, 2021. But Town Council cannot extend the emergency ordinance any longer since it can only continue six months past the expiration of Virginia's state of emergency, according to the town attorney. The state of emergency in Virginia expired at the end of June. That's why Town Council has been discussing the permanent text amendments to the zoning ordinance. Town Council held a public hearing on Nov. 15 but decided to continue discussions on the text amendments and make a decision on Dec. 6. A work session was held on Nov. 30 ahead of the latest meeting, and most council members agreed on extending permits another six months with additional conditions. Vienna has 22 businesses approved for the temporary outdoor dining program, but resident concerns centered around two Church Street NW restaurants with outdoor patios facing residential properties — Bazin's on Church and Blend 111. Town Council received over 100 comments about the outdoor dining program, some in support to help businesses during continued COVID-19 impacts. Opposed comments came from residents on Wilmar Place NW behind Church Street NW restaurants with concerns about noise from outdoor patios. While Town Council has heard willingness from restaurants about working on resident concerns, it will consider additional guidelines beyond the six-month extension. Town Council will continue work on additional guidelines for the outdoor dining program beyond June 30, 2022.