Restaurants & Bars

Milford Restaurants Get Green Light For Outdoor Seating

Milford is waiving some requirements for restaurants, allowing them to more easily open outdoor seating areas after coronavirus.

Restaurants in Milford will be able to more easily set up outdoor seating under a new order.
Restaurants in Milford will be able to more easily set up outdoor seating under a new order. (Neal McNamara/Patch)

MILFORD, MA — The town of Milford is trying to make it easier for restaurants to reopen following the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, the Milford Planning Board issued an order allowing restaurateurs to skip getting approval for amended site plans. The order allows business owners to save time while setting up outdoor seating plans.

Gov. Charlie Baker is signaling that he may begin allowing restaurants to reopen as early as next week. He banned sit-down dining on March 17 as coronavirus was spreading across the state.

Find out what's happening in Milfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.


READ: Everything Reopening In MA Phase Two: Full List


Outdoor dining is seen as safer than indoor dining because of increased air flow that makes it difficult for the virus to jump from person to person.

Find out what's happening in Milfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The Planning Board order deems that restaurants can only have half as many outdoor seats as indoor seats. So if a restaurants seats 30, it could only have up to 15 outdoor seats. Restaurants may also still need approval from the Department of Inspections and Board of Health before opening, according to the order.

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