FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BRISTOL, RI – To promote safe public access to restaurants and local businesses, Bristol Town Administrator Steven Contente signed Executive Order 20-09, which authorizes the temporary expansion of outdoor dining spaces and extends expiring sidewalk use licenses through the duration of the State of Emergency.
Beginning Monday, May 18th, 2020, restaurants will be able to temporarily expand their outdoor service areas into sidewalks and adjacent public or private spaces.
The Town will issue Temporary Outdoor Dining Expansion Permits to interested businesses anywhere in the Town and without application fees or permit fees. Permit applications will be available online beginning Thursday, May 14th, 2020, at 4:00 PM.
Expansions must follow the executive orders issued by Governor Gina Raimondo as well as directives issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health, Department of Business Regulation, or any other state agency, including but not limited to the ’Phase I Guidelines for Restaurants,’ on www.reopeningri.com.
The full executive order is available online here.
For additional information on this program, please contact Chris Vitale, Bristol’s Economic Development Coordinator by emailing [email protected].
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Businesses that want to submit for a Temporary Outdoor Dining Expansion Permit can do so
through the Town’s online e-permitting platform.