California town deems outdoor dining space ‘public seating’ after COVID restrictions

A California town reclassified all outdoor dining as “public seating areas” following the county’s announcement of enhanced COVID-19 restrictions.

Manhattan Beach officials issued an order last week that allows outdoor seating at restaurants to stay open and be designated as public seating.

“Our business community is struggling to survive the County’s latest restrictions and the City has a win-win solution to help, while safeguarding public health,” Mayor Suzanne Hadley said in a Thursday news release. “Additional public seating areas will strike this balance and repurpose public areas that temporarily can’t be used for outdoor dining because of the County’s restrictions.”

The city is in Los Angeles County, which ordered a mandatory three-week “Safer at Home” order through Dec. 20, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Under the order, restaurants, breweries and wineries are permitted to do take-out, drive-thru or delivery. On-site outdoor dining is supposed to be closed, according to the order.

“We are confident our new outdoor seating areas comply with current LA County guidelines,” Hadley told The Daily Breeze. “We will continue to evaluate the situation in case things change.”

Manhattan Beach’s public seating areas won’t allow reservations, and people who use the space have to wear a mask or face covering, according to city officials. People who use the space should throw trash away and maintain social distancing.

“Such areas will be closed from 10:00 PM - 7:30 a.m.,” Manhattan Beach officials said. “Users of the areas should sanitize tables after use. The city encourages the community to visit all local businesses and enjoy these public seating areas safely.”

This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 3:37 PM with the headline "California town deems outdoor dining space ‘public seating’ after COVID restrictions."