Anne Arundel Restaurants Stay Open After County Settles Lawsuit

Jacob Baumgart
Updated ·3 min read

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — After a court battle, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman agreed to let restaurants stay open at 25 percent indoor capacity. Indoor and outdoor dining was previously scheduled to close from Dec. 9 to Jan. 13 to combat a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations.

Titan Hospitality Group, a local restaurant company, sued the county for this planned closure. They argued that the order put an unfair burden on restaurants.

Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge William Mulford heard their case. On Dec. 16, Mulford temporarily halted the dining ban until the county and Titan presented their case in court.

Mulford was slated to release his final decision Wednesday, but the county executive reached an agreement with the restaurateur beforehand. In exchange for allowing limited dining to continue, Titan dropped its case. Mulford will no longer issue a final ruling, as the case is closed.

"Both of us are looking forward to entering the New Year with a little less conflict and a little more hope," Pittman said Wednesday morning at a virtual press conference.

Reaching The Agreement

Pittman said his plan to pause dining stemmed from rising hospitalization projections. Johns Hopkins University advised that 9,000 coronavirus patients could fill Maryland's hospitals over the winter if nothing changed, Pittman said. This would be challenging for a state that only has 8,000 coronavirus beds.

Johns Hopkins also predicted an overflow in Anne Arundel County's two hospitals. The county has 636 beds split between the Anne Arundel Medical Center and the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center. Researchers estimated that Anne Arundel's coronavirus-related hospitalizations would reach 600 to 900 if the county didn't take further action.

Pittman responded in early December by tightening coronavirus regulations. Nearby Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George's County implemented similar restrictions.

Infections have slowed slightly since then, but Anne Arundel County isn't in the clear. Daily cases are still about three times greater than their summertime high. Hospitalizations are also nearing their springtime peak.

With more prevention measures in place around the state, Johns Hopkins updated its estimates. Researchers now project that coronavirus-related hospitalizations could hit 4,000 over the winter, the county executive noted. This decreased burden makes Pittman feel more comfortable allowing dining to continue.

"That’s still a strain on our hospitals," Pittman said. "But it’s much more manageable."

The Specifics

Restaurants and bars may operate at 25 percent indoor capacity. Outdoor dining can also continue, but tents must have at least 50 percent of their flaps open to allow airflow.

All tables must be at least 6 feet apart. Workers still have to wear their masks.

Though dining is permitted, Pittman encouraged residents to order takeout instead. This supports local businesses and minimizes potential maskless exposure to the virus, he added.

A fresh list of all the county's coronavirus regulations is available here. Head to this website to see a list of carryout options available near you. To catch up on the latest coronavirus trends in Anne Arundel County, read Patch's most recent update.

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Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.

This article originally appeared on the Annapolis Patch