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Committee to present outdoor dining ordinance draft to council, holds Washington Street idea for later
Summary
A Charles Town committee agreed to present a drafted outdoor dining ordinance to city council as a first reading and to separately develop a downtown (Washington Street) alternative for possible amendment at a later reading. The committee said council could table or send the ordinance back for revisions.
A Charles Town committee decided to advance its drafted outdoor dining ordinance to city council as a first reading and to hold a separate Washington Street-specific idea for later discussion or amendment.
The committee chair (S1) and staff member (S2) said the item has been delayed twice because of long council agendas and timing around the November election, and that presenting a first-reading draft would allow businesses to benefit sooner. "So I'm gonna put it on then as a 1st reading and see if they wanna go on it then," S2 said, adding that council could table the ordinance or send it back for revisions.
Committee members emphasized practicality for local businesses: they cited potential immediate help for eateries such as "Patty's" and the depot, who could use clarified rules to pursue approvals. Members also discussed that the Washington Street proposal may raise traffic and safety concerns and agreed that it could be introduced later or amended after initial council feedback.
The committee asked staff to prepare a presentable redlined draft showing the committee's changes, then to brief council and be prepared to answer questions from enforcement staff. No formal motion or council action was recorded at this meeting; the item will return to the committee for any final edits before submission to council.
