Moorestown Moves To Extend Outdoor Dining; New Restrictions Loom

MOORESTOWN, NJ — On a day in which Gov. Phil Murphy announced new restrictions were coming on indoor dining, Moorestown Council took a step to extend outdoor dining for its businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Moorestown Council unanimously approved a proposed ordinance on introduction to extend outdoor dining until restrictions are lifted when it met Monday night at town hall. The public hearing and final vote on the proposal will take place Nov. 30.

In July, Council approved a proposal that allows restaurants to expand their footprint to allow outdoor dining amid the coronavirus pandemic. That proposal was set to expire Dec. 1. Read more here: Moorestown Gives Final Approval To Outdoor Dining Plan

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Mike Locatell said he appreciated the proposal, but would also like to see council send a letter to the governor asking him to expand indoor dining capacity from the current 25 percent capacity.

"Our restaurants are going to die," Locatell said. "This would be a good bipartisan issue. We should ask the governor to please help our businesses survive. Expanding outdoor dining is nice, but at 28, 30 degrees, no one's going to be eating outside."

Tents and heaters would be part of the proposal, and council would like to see the township waive associated fees to help businesses.

Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano agreed with the idea of sending the letter, but Councilwoman Lisa Petriello said the governor is the one with the best knowledge of the situation.

"He has professional people advising him," Petriello said.

Deputy Mayor Brian Donnelly said he would like to see a catalyst bring the idea to council, and Mayor Nicole Gillespie said she would seek input from the Moorestown Business Association and the Economic Development Advisory Council.

It's an idea that has already been floated publicly. Last month, State Sen. Troy Singleton (D-7) called on Murphy to expand indoor dining capacity. That came shortly after Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey President and CEO Christina Renna made a similar plea. Read more here: Give Restaurants A Chance To Survive, SJ Chamber Head Says

During a news conference Monday, Murphy announced that bars and restaurants will soon need to close all indoor service by 10 p.m. Outdoor dining and takeout and delivery services may continue beyond 10 p.m., and enclosed, heated outdoor tents can be put up outside.

There will be no more barside seating, but tables can be placed within 6 feet of each other, as long as there are barriers in place. Read more here: Gov. Murphy: NJ COVID-19 Numbers Going In 'Wrong Direction'

The governor's announcement mostly impacts bars that are open late. Moorestown is a dry town with establishments that don't remain open late, but township council has every step it's needed to in order to protect its businesses throughout the pandemic.

In July, Council approved a proposal that allows restaurants to expand their footprint to allow outdoor dining amid the coronavirus pandemic. That proposal was set to expire Dec. 1. Read more here: Moorestown Gives Final Approval To Outdoor Dining Plan

On Monday morning, Burlington County officials announced that Moorestown had seven new cases over the weekend. The township has now had 534 cases of the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. Last week, it was announced that an 87-year-old Moorestown woman had become the 64th resident to die as a result of the virus.

Countywide, there have been 10,160 cases of the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. The county surpassed 10,000 cases this weekend. There have also been 495 confirmed deaths and 54 probable deaths.

See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.