By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — Expanded outdoor dining is here to stay.

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday night approved a text amendment to zoning regulations allowing restaurants and retail food establishments to continue serving at tables outside.

The action, in part, follows a state mandate that outdoor dining be allowed permanently, in a law taking effect April 1. 

Expanded size OK’d for outdoor venues

But Westport commissioners took a step further, granting more flexibility by expanding the permitted outdoor space from the existing 25 percent of a restaurant’s indoor area to 75 percent.

Eateries also will be allowed to use a neighboring business’ property for tables, if they have permission.

There are still parameters and departmental checkoffs needed for outdoor dining, but the process is now simply administrative. No more hearings and special permits.

One of the state’s pandemic measures was to allow outdoor dining, such as was seen on Church Lane, which was closed to vehicles in warm-weather months. 

Having people eat outside helped people stay healthy, and was a boost to restaurants struggling with the onset of COVID and the imposition of restrictions on public gatherings.

There aren’t many upsides to a pandemic, advocates of expanded outdoor dining noted. But this might be one example of how the crisis led to cutting of red tape, and changes in the way governments, businesses and people operate. 

People enjoy dining outside. That was evident at Monday’s meeting.

P&Z Chairwoman Danielle Dobin called the changes exciting.

“I feel really strongly about this topic,” she said. “I think that the expanded outdoor dining from the igloos at Rizzuto’s to the parking lots that have been used all over town even along the Post Road for outdoor dining have just enhanced the vibrancy of our town, and have just helped Westport become an absolute mecca for restaurants in Fairfield County.”

Losing parking spaces for dining places questioned

Commission member Patrizia Zucaro was the lone holdout.

“I’m actually not in favor of this,” she said. “I do value outdoor dining, I think it’s really great, but in this particular scenario, taking away parking spaces for outdoor dining, while it was necessary during COVID, I’m not sure that’s the case moving forward.”

“People who elected me, let’s say, are saying, ‘We love outdoor dining. We want the outdoor dining, we want more outdoor dining,’ ” said commission member Michael Cammeyer. “We’re elected to do a job, and I’m passing that through. Great job.”

One man, who said he’s a partner in a Main Street restaurant, also spoke. On the Zoom screen, his name appeared as “Ronald Weasley” (he said he didn’t know why, but likely there’s a Harry Potter fan in the household). He actually did state his name, but it was difficult to discern online.

“Outdoor dining. That’s what people want,” he said. “I’m French, we always eat outside.”

William Rizzuto, of Rizzuto’s Oyster Bar & Restaurant on Riverside Avenue in Saugatuck, thanked the commission.

“Operating in Westport, and having the support that we’ve had from Planning and Zoning, and hopefully, the continued support, will help us all … whatever else might lie on the horizon,” he said. 

“Thank you, everybody.”

The vote was 6-1 in favor of the permanent outdoor dining regulations, with Zucaro opposed