Montclair is waiving sidewalk café permit fees to help accommodate businesses in the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, as it did last year.
“By eliminating the sidewalk café permit fees in 2020, we made it easier for our food establishments to provide outdoor dining options for their patrons,” Mayor Sean Spiller said. “Township Council and I are pleased to continue this effort in 2021 and hope to see even more eateries offer outdoor dining services this year.”
Sidewalk café permit fees are $150 for 12 seats or fewer and $250 for more than 12 seats.
“On behalf of all the businesses in Montclair, we would like to thank the mayor, the council and the township for embracing the governor’s framework to help businesses expand outdoor dining,” said Jason Gleason, executive director of the Montclair Center BID, referencing a law Gov. Phil Murphy signed earlier that gives municipalities the leeway to loosen restrictions on restaurants, bars and other liquor license holders during the health emergency. The bill allows outdoor dining and liquor service through November of 2022, or whenever New Jersey allows restaurants to once again serve customers at full indoor capacity. “Along with increased indoor capacity numbers, our businesses and restaurants have a much more hopeful 2021 ahead.”
Murphy eased indoor capacity limits on restaurants from 35% to 50% on March 19.