Plymouth outdoor dining saved after new ordinance approved
PLYMOUTH, Mich. (FOX 2) - After fears that patio dining in Plymouth was at risk of going away due to inflated fees, a compromise has been reached.
Plymouth City Commissioner Kelly O'Donnell called the new ordinance "the best version of compromise we can reach at this time."
Earlier this year, a proposal that would raise the outdoor dining fee restaurants pay by 900%. After that proposal was voted down, the city commission went back to the drawing board and worked on a new plan based on feedback from restaurants and residents, the commission said.
Outdoor dining fee hike on Plymouth businesses vote fails; heads back to drawing board
Business leaders say the original proposal of going from $1.50 per square foot of patio space to $15 per square foot came out of nowhere.
The commission finalized a five-year ordinance on Monday that includes some changes to the current rules.
This new ordinance includes a fee increase of a dollar more per square foot. Restaurants will now pay $2.50 per square foot of their patios. That fee has been $1.50 for 10 years, and the original proposal would have raised it to $15.
The annual application fee will increase from $250 to $500.
Under the newly approved plan, setbacks from buildings will remain 6 feet in most areas, except seven feet on Main Street due to the wider sidewalks. The rejected plan wanted to change the setbacks to 9 feet. Three restaurants on Main Street will be moving their patios from touching their building to seven feet out to increase walkability straight down the sidewalk, the commission said.
The commission noted that several new patios have recently been installed based on the existing specifications. Changing those specifications would have forced restaurants to spend even more money to alter their patios, while also shrinking the outdoor dining space.
Additionally, restaurants will be allowed to start resetting up their patios in March, a month earlier than the previous ordinance allowed. This gives businesses time to get the patios inspected and ready to open in April.
"I'm very pleased that the city commission passed a multi-year outdoor dining policy for the entire city of Plymouth regarding dining on the sidewalks and using public parking spaces," Mayor Nick Moroz said. "I'm particularly proud of the cooperation and volume of communication with the restaurant owners and operators and staff, the Downtown Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, and a huge number of residents of Plymouth."