CLEVELAND, Ohio – The city is considering tweaking the rules governing rights of way to allow restaurants and bars to occupy space in some streets so patrons can maintain social distancing to avoid spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The idea has drawn some support as restaurants, which have been shuttered since mid-March in response to the coronavirus outbreak, begin to reopen shortly.
But some details need to be worked, Edward Rybka, Mayor Frank Jackson’s chief of regional development, told City Council’s Finance Committee during an online meeting Monday. No immediate timetable was announced.
“It’s not an easy snap of the fingers kind of thing,” Rybka said.
Councilman Kerry McCormack, whose ward includes the East 4th Street entertainment district in the downtown as well as popular dining spots and bars in Tremont and Ohio City, said the idea could be a lifeline to struggling restaurants.
Many of those restaurants will have limited seating capacity because of the need for diners to remain at least six feet apart, as recommended by health experts. Being allowed to have outdoor café seating in the streets could help make up for some of those lost tables.
Rybka and city Planning Director Freddy Collier said that in addition to the impact on traffic flow, the city also is studying whether such a move could inadvertently cause large groups to congregate in violation of rules against mass gatherings.
“We want to do it carefully and thoughtfully,” Collier said.
Councilman Matt Zone urged that the administration move as quickly as possible. Zone’s ward includes the Gordon Square area of Detroit Avenue and the West 117th Street border with Lakewood.
“Carefully and thoughtfully, our constituents interpret that as slow,” Zone said.
Gov. Mike DeWine last week unveiled guidelines for allowing restaurants and bars to reopen. Outdoor seating for patrons will be allowed beginning Friday. Inside dining will be allowed again beginning May 21.
The guidelines, though, will require spacing and restrict operations to allow for social distancing.
Opening streets for café-style seating would have the support of most merchants, Sam McNulty, owner of Market Garden Brewery, Nano Brew and Bier Markt in Ohio City recently told cleveland.com.
Even if the street closures were limited to certain times – like at night or on weekends, or during the summer months – that could be a huge help to businesses trying to recover from the forced shutdown.
“I couldn’t imagine any restauranteur, or even any open-minded citizen, being opposed to it,” McNulty said.
It might also provide a social distancing comfort factor to encourage patrons to go to restaurants, University Circle President Chris Ronayne told cleveland.com recently.
He envisions the University Circle area and several entertainment districts as good candidates, including Shaker Square, Hingetown and Euclid Avenue -- making them more pedestrian-friendly and offering space to restaurants for social distancing.
“To give people comfort, and to give restauranteurs comfort, I think distance is the operative of the day,” Ronayne said. “As long as you can make it healthy, it’s probably not a bad idea.”
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