While many have enjoyed the new outdoor seating opportunity on Prince George Street, there was recent confusion about whether the option would remain.
The Williamsburg City Council adopted an emergency temporary zoning guideline in May that allowed Prince George to turn into a one-way street to allow for more access to curbside pick-up and outdoor dining options.
Council then adopted a new ordinance that allows restaurants on Prince George Street, among others, to continue temporary outdoor seating through July 31 or until restaurants are allowed to open their indoor dining areas at 100 percent.
While all of the restaurants were allowed to operate outdoor seating on the street, only Amber Ox Public House took the opportunity.
As a result, Amber Ox posted to their Facebook expressing concern that other restaurants had asked the city to reopen the street.
“The [City of Williamsburg] worked to close a portion of Prince George Street in an effort to support the local restaurants on the block,” according to the post. “…However, Amber Ox was the only restaurant to choose to utilize the closure…But now those same restaurants have reached out to the city and asked them to re-open the street!”
The post continued to say a decision to lose the outdoor space would be “extremely contradictory” to the city’s mission of bringing locals downtown.
Steve Roberts, Jr., interim spokesman for the city, said the city facilitated a discussion with the businesses on the block to form a slightly altered plan that benefited all the businesses in the area.
“That was all by a unanimous agreement with the businesses,” Roberts said. “The city wanted that unanimous consent and if not then we wanted to revert back to what it was before.”
Michelle Sieling, owner of the Hound’s Tale which is located on the block, said her business had not operated on the street because they already had an outdoor patio to seat guests. During Phase 1 and 2 of reopening, Sieling said the outdoor patio allowed the business to reach the 50 percent capacity limit without using the outdoor dining option.
She said during discussions with the city last week, other businesses, including tenants and office spaces, expressed a desire for the street to be partially closed, instead of entirely shut off to traffic.
“Some of the concerns [were that] when you came through, it looked like the street was completely closed to traffic as opposed to being open and inviting,” Sieling said. “That was one of the concerns expressed to make it the most useful and effective for everyone.”
The street will now have additional diagonal parking on the left side and the position of some of the bollards would be adjusted to better accommodate.
Roberts said to passersby, the street won’t look much different than it did originally.
Amber Ox later updated their Facebook post to express gratitude at the support from the community and the city and said they would continue to meet with local government leaders to discuss the possibility of creating a more permanent outdoor dining area similar to a “pedestrian mall.”
Roberts said the expiration date for outdoor seating should remain unchanged unless there is unanimous consent from the restaurants to alter it.
Sieling said she plans to expand her outdoor seating to the new street area now that Virginia will be in Phase 3 of reopening on Wednesday.
“I think the outdoor seating will be beneficial,” she said. “We’re definitely seeing an uptick of people wanting to eat…so I think providing additional space outside where people can come out and eat and socially distance is a good option.”
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