Westfield Outdoor Dining Returns Monday: New Rules Here

Caren Lissner
Updated ·6 min read

WESTFIELD, NJ — Now that the state of New Jersey has allowed outdoor dining starting Monday, with restrictions (see below), the town of Westfield has implemented a plan to help downtown businesses expand onto sidewalks and certain closed streets.

The state already allows restaurants to provide curbside pickup and delivery.

Westfield plans to close off Quimby Street in the next few weekends for expanded dining, music, yoga, and other events.

Several restaurants said last week that they were looking forward to reopening their outdoor dining areas. (If you own a restaurant that should be included in a roundup, click here.)

Here are the features of the new Downtown Westfield Reopening Plan:

Outdoor dining

  • Under NJ Executive Order 150, Westfield will allow restaurants and other establishments that serve food to expand their footprint for outdoor dining, both in front of their property and on adjacent sidewalks. All restaurants and food establishments will be required to submit an application for an outdoor dining permit with the Town Clerk's office which will include a sketch showing where they would like to place their outdoor tables. Restaurants will not be able to place tables outside until they receive a permit from the clerk.

  • Before placing tables outside, all restaurants and food establishments must sign off that they will comply with NJ Executive Directive 20-014, which specifies the COVID-19 protocols from the NJ State Department of Health for food or beverage establishments offering service in outdoor areas.

  • Establishments with existing liquor licenses will be eligible to apply for a COVID-19 Expansion Permit with the NJ Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. This new permit will allow licensed establishments to expand their premises onto areas adjacent to or contiguous with the licensed premises. Licensed establishments who only sell alcoholic beverages in to-go containers will not need a new permit.

Street closures and seating

  • Westfield will place temporary expanded street seating with concrete barriers on the southern portion of Prospect Street between 16 and 20 Prospect St. Additional parklet space in the downtown will be considered at a future date.

  • Westfield will close Quimby Street between the hours of 3 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. on Monday between June 20 and July 5 on a trial basis. The restaurants on that block will be able to move tables out onto the street for additional outdoor dining. Furthermore, the DWC will program the space on Sundays with exercise classes, yoga classes and other non-contact programming. Additionally, the DWC will secure live musicians for both Saturday and Sunday nights during the trial weekends.

Parking

  • In order to facilitate easy ongoing access to curbside pick up, all the parking spots on Quimby Street and on Elm Street (between E. Broad Street and North Avenue) will be free 15-minute parking spots for curbside pickup and for delivery vehicles. Customers looking for longer term parking are encouraged to park on adjacent streets.

  • Employees of local businesses, especially from those on Elm and Quimby streets, should park in employee-permitted spots at the train station parking lot or the lot behind Baron's.

Retail

  • Non-essential retail operations can open on June 15 as long as they comply with the rules in Executive Order 122 for essential retail stores, which include limiting occupancy to 50 percent of maximum capacity. Under NJ Executive Order 150, retail establishments and service providers will be able to place a table outside their store for outdoor transactions seven days of the week.

Other towns, like Cranford and Hoboken, have also experimented with closing streets for pedestrians and "streateries."

Also on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy changed his restrictions on outdoor gatherings, increasing limits but with social distancing and other regulations still in effect.

He has also given dates for various types of nonessential businesses to reopen, with restrictions. For instance, hair salons may reopen June 22, under certain guidelines.

Starting the weekend of June 19 through 21 and continuing for at least through July 4 weekend, the town will open Quimby Street from Friday evening through Sunday evenings for socially distanced strolling and dining. Downtown Westfield Corporation head Bob Zuckerman said, "If this experiment is successful, then the open street plan will likely be extended throughout the summer."

Zuckerman said that on the street, "We are planning outdoor yoga, exercise classes, live music, and other activities ... Remember to wear a mask when not eating and drinking and maintain a safe 6-foot distance."

For restaurants curbside pickup and delivery will still be available from all restaurants who are currently offering it.

Below are some requirements for businesses to incorporate who are opening for outdoor dining on June 15, as stated in Governor Murphy’s outdoor dining executive order:

  • Post signage at the entrance that states that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19 should enter the food or beverage establishment

  • Limit seating to a maximum of eight customers per table and arrange seating to achieve a minimum distance of 6 feet between parties

  • Rope off or otherwise mark tables, chairs and bar stools that are not to be used

  • Demarcate 6 feet of spacing in patron waiting areas

  • Provide physical guides, such as tape on floors, sidewalks, and signage on walls to ensure that customers remain at least 6 feet apart in line for the restroom or waiting for seating

  • Eliminate self-service food or drink options such as buffets, salad bars, and self-service drink stations

  • Disinfect all tables, chairs and any other shared items (menus, condiments, pens) after each use

  • Install physical barriers and partitions at cash registers, bars, host stands and other area where maintaining physical distance of 6 feet is difficult

  • Ensure 6 feet of physical distancing between workers and customers, except at the moment of payment and/or when employees are servicing the table

  • Require infection control practices, such as regular handwashing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, and proper tissue usage and disposal

  • Require frequent sanitization of high-touch areas like credit card machines, keypads, and counters to which the public and workers have access

  • Place conspicuous signage at entrance alerting staff and customers to the required 6 ft of physical distance

  • Require all food or beverage establishments to have an inclement weather policy that, if triggered, would require the food or beverage establishment 2 to adhere to Executive Order No. 125 (2020) and offer takeout or delivery service only

Additionally, according to the state:

  • Businesses should conduct daily health screenings for employees (such as temperature screenings and/or symptom checking), and provide and require employees to wear face masks.

  • All customers must bring and wear face masks when going to a business to wear if going inside the business or using the restroom.

  • The state also recommends that businesses and customers utilize reservations as much as possible to limit overcrowding at restaurants.

Got a news tip or just want to reach out? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. To keep up with breaking news in Westfield and statewide when it happens, and get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts and daily newsletters.

This article originally appeared on the Westfield Patch