City considers allowing restaurants to serve alcohol on sidewalks

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Staff Writer

To serve or not to serve … that is the question.

And it received a straightforward show of support Tuesday night at the City of Burlington Committee of the Whole meeting.

With the City allowing outdoor dining in the public right of way in the downtown area, a local establishment recently asked if alcohol could be served to those eating outdoors. Current ordinances won’t allow it, but the City of Burlington Common Council seems ready to change that, if the support expressed Tuesday night is any indication.

The Committee of the Whole reviewed the initial planned revision of Ordinance 1967 (1), which would allow establishments classified as restaurants – meaning 50 percent or more of their sales come from food – to serve alcoholic beverages in sidewalk seating areas.

The initial proposed sidewalk dining time was 9 p.m., but the City Council wanted to see that extended until at least 10 p.m.

However, Paul and Rhonda Sullivan – in attendance for the Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine, which supports the ordinance change – said 10 p.m. would be as late as they would serve, and would have been fine with the 9 p.m. limit.

About the only downside anyone seemed to have with the plan was the idea that downtown bars could attempt and shift their business enough so they could offer sidewalk dining as well.

The food service would have to be available at all times, however, and Alderman Ruth Dawidziak said, “It’ll be a game you play.”

The initial reaction was to set the cutoff time for 10 p.m., and see how the change works out over the next year.

Alcohol must be consumed at the tables or inside the business, or else would result in an open intoxicants ticket, according to city staff. Citations could also result in the business having its liquor license revoked.