Annapolis, MD (Nov. 1, 2021) - Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman issued the following statement regarding the extension of outdoor dining:
“The pandemic hit our restaurant industry more than almost any other sector of the economy. Staff got laid off, business owners watched revenue plummet, and some were forced to close their doors.
To help these businesses survive, we worked on innovative solutions: waiving license fees, creating the Restaurant and Food Service Grant Program at Economic Development, providing the $500 gift cards for restaurant employees through Workforce Development, and of course the permitting of outdoor dining in parking lots and other areas that county code does not normally allow.
Our restaurants made the case in meetings that outdoor dining, first allowed under an executive order, added revenues without negatively impacting parking or public safety. The bill I introduced last month and signed tonight extends the program through January 2, 2023. It was passed with a bipartisan 7-0 vote, a recognition of the importance of extending outdoor dining for our restaurant industry.
With tonight’s victory for our restaurants, I want to thank the entire industry - the owners, the management, the staff - for your strength, creativity, and service to our residents over the last eighteen months. You are making Anne Arundel County The Best Place - For All.”