Restaurants In Belleville Can Reopen Outdoors (See Restrictions)

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy says that New Jersey’s restaurants can start to reopen from the coronavirus shutdown and serve customers outdoors on June 15. So what will the grand reopening look like in Belleville and Nutley?

Since mid-March, Murphy has ordered that restaurants offer takeout and delivery only. But as part of the state’s three-phase plan to reopen, restaurants will be allowed to serve a limited number of dine-in customers at 6 a.m. on Monday – as long as they sit outdoors.

Customers will still be banned from eating inside the restaurant, and must wear face masks if they go inside to use the bathroom or pick up a takeout order. Patrons with “medical reasons” or children under two don’t have to wear masks.

There are a few other rules, according to the governor’s office. Some include:

• Tables must be located 6 feet from each other
• Only eight customers are allowed at each table
• Employees must wear face masks and pass daily health checks
• No self-service options such as buffets, salad bars or drink stations are allowed
• All tables, chairs and menus must be disinfected after each use
• Signs must be posted at the entrance that say nobody with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19 should enter

Each city or town can decide for itself how to let restaurants and bars safely open outdoors, whether it’s on a sidewalk, in a street or at a park.

Restaurants with liquor licenses can apply for temporary permission to set up outdoor drinking areas with the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). It’s the responsibility of the licensee to comply with local ordinances and site plan requirements.

• Read the full text of executive order 150
• Read the New Jersey Department of Health guidelines for outdoor dining

REOPENING RESTAURANTS IN BELLEVILLE

On Monday, Belleville officials said the township is taking the next step on the road to reopening.

"With the new cases of COVID-19 dropping and the capacity for testing and contact tracing continuing to expand, Belleville is welcoming back customers to nonessential retail stores and diners hungry for an outdoor experience," town officials stated.

Belleville officials said:

"Among other restrictions, restaurants will be required to keep tables at least six feet apart with no more than eight customers at a table. Expect to see plastic shielding erected in areas such as cash registers and bars. Nonessential businesses will have their own set of guidelines designed to maintain social distancing. For instance, workers will still be required to wear face coverings and floor markings will keep customers six feet apart near the registers."

Mayor Michael Melham and Deputy Mayor Vinny Cozzarelli – both small-business owners in Belleville – said the Belleville Economic Stimulus Taskforce (BEST), which was launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been holding virtual meetings, allowing business owners to share information and strategies as social distancing measures are slowly lifted.

• See related article: Belleville 'Economic Stimulus Taskforce' Formed On Coronavirus

At the behest of some restaurant owners, the Belleville Township Council recently adopted ordinances relaxing some outdoor dining seating restriction. Similarly, the council waived some municipal fees in an attempt to encourage businesses to hold sidewalk sales, officials said.

“We have been diligent in supplying our business owners with the most up-to-date information coming out of Trenton,” Melham said. “For instance, when the New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced last week that it was making $45 million available in its Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program, we immediately alerted Belleville’s business owners.”

Cozzarelli said local small business owners are the "lifeblood" of the township.

“We are very excited to have outdoor dining on our patio,” said Frank Duaksis, owner of Michael's Roscommon House on Jeralemon Street. “We have enough seating for about 15 tables or 60 people. In the front of the restaurant, we’re going to have a bar-like atmosphere where people can walk up and order their drinks and have a seat.”

Have plans to reopen outdoors? Share them in the comments section below!

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