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Local restaurateurs and council back extension of outdoor dining moratorium as staff readies permanent code changes
Summary
Council heard public comment largely in favor of extending the outdoor dining moratorium through Dec. 31, 2026, while asking the administration to draft permanent zoning code changes; small‑business owners said outdoor seating remains essential to their operations.
Harford County Council held a public hearing Nov. 4 on Bill 25‑013, a temporary extension of the county’s outdoor dining moratorium that would run through Dec. 31, 2026, while the administration studies and drafts permanent zoning changes.
Council members signaled strong support for making outdoor dining a permanent, codified option for local businesses. Councilman Jan Giordano and others said the practice became widespread during the COVID‑19 pandemic and remains popular with customers.
Multiple small business owners spoke in favor. Kyle Waters, owner of Double Groove brewery in Forest Hill, said he opened three months before pandemic restrictions and that outdoor seating was vital to his business’s survival. “A lot of my customers aren't aware that this is temporary. They've only known it for 5 years and are kind of unthinkable about going back to eating inside all the time,” Waters said. His co‑owner Daniel Williams echoed that the option supports food trucks, customer expectations and neighborhood commerce.
Council members asked the administration and planning staff to pursue a permanent code update rather than yearly extensions; staff said the code changes touch many sections and would likely be led by the executive branch and planning and zoning departments. No final vote was recorded on the bill at this meeting; the council closed the public hearing and said it will take up the item at a later date.
