By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT —  Plans for more outdoor dining near the Saugatuck Railroad Station and several weeks’ use of the Imperial Avenue parking lot by the Remarkable Theatre Drive-In were approved Wednesday by the Board of Selectwomen.

“This is going to make for just a great summer for everyone, for Westporters, for visitors,” First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said. 

“We’re just going to have so many great things to do, and so many wonderful missions to support. So, I really want to say thank you for everyone getting us here today.”

COVID era changed lifestyles

Tooker has noted previously that while the COVID pandemic spurred initiatives to help businesses “survive and thrive,” people realized that they really like outdoor dining and other activities.

At the board’s last meeting, approval was granted for another season of outdoor dining using parking spaces along Railroad Place for Tarantino Restaurant and Romanacci Restaurant. 

On Wednesday, a request for a “pop-up café” by a third eatery, Allium, at the far-end of the one-way street, was granted as well. 

The Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved a text amendment to its regulations permitting restaurants to offer outdoor dining permanently.

A “Remarkable” focus on adults with disabilities

The Remarkable Theatre received approval to use the lot at 50 Imperial Ave. for outdoor movie screenings from April 27 through June 30. 

More programming is planned for July through the fall, and will be included in a future request before the Board of Selectwomen, said Douglas Tirola, the Remarkable’s artistic director.

The Remarkable Theatre’s mission is to bring a movie venue back to Westport, while employing people with disabilities. The name is borrowed from the Remarkable Bookshop, for decades a local landmark, cloaked in pink, at the upper end of downtown’s Main Street.

Stacie Curran, a Remarkable Theatre board member, thanked the selectwomen for considering the request, and spoke about some of the accomplishments over the last two years.

“It needs to be stated how important the mission is for the Remarkable Theatre and employing adults with disabilities,” she said. “The past two years have not only given those who really can’t help themselves a job, and passion, and something to do and things to do in the evening. 

“Every night that they’re there they’ve also managed to meet some of our officers in town,” she said, “because that was one of the selectmen’s requirements, and I can’t speak on behalf of the Police Department, but watching our officers become so close to our adults with disabilities in our community, and the relationships that were formed there, is just a training and an opportunity that you can’t teach people about …” 

Plans for summer heating up

So far, the slate of summer activities, using town property, includes:

• Pop-up dining on Railroad Place through Nov. 1. Three restaurants — Allium, Romanacci and Tarantino — will offer diners the option of eating outdoors, using parking spots in front of their storefronts. One other might apply.

• Outdoor dining and shopping along Church Lane, April 1 through Nov. 6. The street will be closed to vehicles. The P&Z gave its approval for the street closure March 28.

• Westport Fine Arts Festival, May 28 and 29. Main Street will be closed to vehicles from Post Road East to Elm Street, and on Elm Street from Main Street to 35 Elm.  

• Summer Shopping Days, June 18 and Aug. 20. Main Street will be closed to vehicles from Post Road East to Elm Street.

• Remarkable Theatre Drive-In, April 27 through June 30 at the Imperial Avenue parking lot (future dates will requested from the Board of Selectwomen).