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VILLAS – A resolution passed by Lower Township Council June 1 would allow restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries to open for outdoor service without having to get formal zoning board approval.
Before the resolution, establishments seeking to move dining outside or to reconfigure their interior to maintain social distancing would have to submit a formal application to the zoning board and wait for an online public hearing.
The resolution allows establishment owners to submit an informal drawing with seating plans to Lower Township Manager James Ridgeway for review, who then forwards them to the zoning office for an onsite inspection. Lower Township Mayor Frank Sippel said the process will allow businesses to quickly get up and running.
“This is a big win for businesses and their employees. They can get open by simply submitting their application to the manager’s office for review and getting an inspection from zoning,” Sippel said.
