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Manalapan committee introduces temporary outdoor-dining license to speed restaurant reopening
Summary
The committee introduced Ordinance 2020-12 to create a temporary emergency outdoor dining license allowing restaurants to apply to the Clerk’s office for a fast local safety review instead of planning-board site-plan review; public hearing set for June 10.
The Manalapan Township Committee on May 27 introduced Ordinance 2020-12, a temporary emergency outdoor-dining license designed to speed local permitting for restaurants during the phased COVID‑19 reopening.
Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin said the proposed ordinance would allow restaurants to apply for a temporary permit through the Clerk’s office and receive a local safety and compliance review — performed by the chief of police, zoning officer, health officer and construction official — within seven days. The aim is to avoid the longer planning-board site‑plan process for limited, temporary outdoor dining configurations while preserving health and safety oversight.
“This would allow somebody an outdoor dining permit who wanted one … within a week,” McLaughlin said during the workshop portion of the meeting, describing an informal plan requirement rather than a full engineered site plan.
The committee moved to introduce the ordinance and set a public hearing for June 10, 2020. If adopted after the public hearing, the ordinance will permit temporary, locality‑reviewed outdoor dining options so restaurants can expand seating consistent with state reopening phases and local safety requirements.
Town staff said reviews will focus on pedestrian and vehicular safety, emergency access, health‑department requirements and construction standards. The ordinance, as introduced, does not change permanent zoning and is expressly temporary and emergency-focused.
The township also approved a shared-services agreement and several COVID-related administrative resolutions at the same meeting, while staff prepare the ordinance for public comment and final adoption procedures.
