In a move to help the restaurant industry and ease the pressure on Stop & Shop’s supply chain this summer, Edgartown restaurants may have outside seating on closed-off roads and in empty parking lots this summer.
Selectmen asked town administrator James Hagerty to reach out to the restaurants in town and ask if there was interest in having outdoor seating on partially shut down streets and parking lots.
“I think we should set this summer in almost a framework as a European model and as a model they do in a lot of different Medditerrean cities,” Hagerty said.
He added that legal matters such as liquor licenses and temporary easements would be challenging, but that the town would make it work.
According to Hagerty, the caveat for allowing closed streets and outside dining would be that some restaurants offer perishable groceries to alleviate the burden on the supply chain at Island grocery stores.
“The important thing for us is to set the conditions for them to succeed,” Hagerty said. “I think this outside the box and could ruffle some feathers, but I think we need to take some bold aggressive action in light of everything going on.”
Selectmen supported the idea and told Hagerty to reach out to restaurants.
“I think the idea of getting the restaurants open is vital,” selectman Arthur Smadbeck said. “We’re going to have hundreds of thousands of people coming to the Island, there’s no way it’s possible way that we can feed them with just the Stop & Shop open. We have to find a way to get the restaurants open.”
“I think it can work,” selectman Margaret Serpa said.
In other business, the Edgartown board of health followed other Island towns and unanimously approved an extension of the Phase 1 construction moratorium to May 11.
According to town health agent Matt Poole, housekeepers will be allowed to work inside unoccupied homes beginning May 5. On May 11, the order will enter phase 1.5 which will increase the number of workers and house keepers allowed on work and construction sites from two to five.
The board of health also approved an extension of the stay-at-home order until May 18 with a provision that restaurants previously closed be allowed to open and offer take out service.
Edgartown will hold its annual town meeting in the fields adjacent to the town’s school on Saturday, June 13, at 1:30 pm.
Selectmen unanimously approved the date and venue. At their last meeting, selectmen had to weigh options on where to hold the meeting including having it at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs after determining the Old Whaling Church would not not give people much space to adhere to social distancing.
“Based on the price, based on the parking, based on getting people there, and hopefully people coming, adjacent to the Edgartown School with that park layout would be ideal,” Hagerty said.
At the April 27 selectmen’s meeting, Hagerty said a town meeting outside with staging, tents, a speaker system, and porta potties could cost $10,000.
Selectmen unanimously approved the idea.
“I think we will accommodate those who wish to come to the meeting,” selectman Margaret Serpa said.
A rain date for annual town meeting will be June 14 and the annual town election will be held on June 18.
Selectmen also were informed Bernard Chiu, owner of the Harborview Hotel, donated 800 masks to the town. Hagerty and selectmen thanked Chiu for the “very generous” donation and said the masks will primarily be given out to those who do not have masks for the annual town meeting.
Ha! Love it. But the writer should know — and my friend James Hagerty — ther the rain that European café’s and restaurants have this “model” is so that patrons can smoke! Ask any European restaurateur. A lot Americans might think of this kind of cafe lifestyle is romantic, and it is, but it is primarily practical.
Works for the Quarterdeck.
It does work for the Quarter Deck.
For a safe place to smoke.
Here’s to hoping the donated masks were produced locally, not holding my breath. Pun intended.
I certainly hope Mr. Smadbeck’s prediction of “hundreds of thousands of people coming to the Island” this summer is mistaken. Replicating the population density of New York or Boston, in a locale without medical resources to serve that population, is a recipe for disaster. A little less boosterism, and a bit more common sense, are needed.
I couldn’t agree more, Mike.
We must follow what Mike has said
Anyone who has ever needed our ER in the middle of August knows what a bad idea it is to invite the usual numbers of visitors.
Love the idea but where will people park? Is this for the restaurants or for everyone that lives in walking distance to them.
Sounds like a great idea for an ordinary summer, but I don’t see large crowds of diners wanting to gather together any time soon. I know I won’t be going anywhere near such gatherings until we have a vaccine and treatments.
I think there is a vast majority of people ‘out there’ who have been coming to MV for years, either home owners, renters or day trippers who are waiting patiently for summer to arrive so they can get back to what they consider normal. To keep them away, especially the property owners is unrealistic. With all the different opinions on how everyone should act as we come out of this crisis safety AND common sense should prevail. And thinking out loud about the proposed European look to Edgartown, I’m trying to picture where all the tables and chairs and serving area are going to be. I hope all the parties can work something out.
Everyone must act in a manner that maintains my income and my life.
I think this is a great idea however the comment “there’s no way it’s possible way that we can feed them with just the Stop & Shop” is way off base. There are many options other than the Stop & Shop – Edgartown Meat & Fish, Morning Glory, Katama General, Black Sheep at the Airport, Alleys, Chilmark Store, Cronigs, Reliable and Vineyard Grocer. The list goes on. Not to mention the convenience stores at the gas stations too for basic pantry staples.
If Edgartown has not appreciated James Hagerty yet as their town administrator well they should now!
Great job & idea James plus “He has Only Just Begun”!
As a Edgartown Native now residing in Tisbury I know that James is the one who without a doubt who knows how to “Improvise, adapt, and overcome.”!
Another voice, you are so right. Also, many restaurants in other areas, are now selling grocery items along with the take out meals. The restaurants have access to supply houses with good food items and they can enlarge their base to include grocery items. Pick up a take out dinner, buy a carton of eggs, milk, loaf of bread, butter, cheese, etc, deli meats….there is a way to handle this if we get creative, relax some hidebound rules, etc. We have stores in Edgartown village and I walk to them and pick up items now; so, what is the difference with the virus? We have alcohol/wine stores in the village, we have really good boutique specialty food shops, we can do it. Onward and upward….
Like the Mardi Gras?
If I don’t feel safe eating inside a restaurant, I won’t feel safe eating outside either
so fight the ‘rona by turning edgartown into a street fair? got it…
Downtown parking lot becomes a giant car hop – waitresses on roller skates serve from all locations.
Hopefully Mr Smadbeck was misquoted… I can’t imagine “hundreds of thousands of people” coming this summer, but there will still be lots. Secondly, where the heck is everyone going to park to be able to eat out in the streets? I’m certainly not going to use the park & ride and get into an enclosed bus with people barely wearing a mask properly, just to eat dinner outside. Trying to re-figure out the traffic patterns around closed streets will be a nightmare. Good luck everyone! I hope some creative ideas with real solutions happen.