It looks like there will be another season of expanded outdoor dining in the city of Boston, though one neighborhood isn't included just yet.
According to an article in Universal Hub, the Mayor's office has given approval for restaurants to set up temporary outdoor dining areas on public sidewalks and in parking lanes starting April 1, with dining spots needing to re-apply for temporary outdoor permits for the 2022 season. The post mentions that North End restaurants have not been given the green light as of yet because of "the density of the restaurants in the neighborhood," though dining spots in the North End can still apply for expanded outdoor dining while waiting for a decision to be made.
Universal Hub also says that there are new rules in place this year, including temporary patios being required to close by 9:30 PM Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 PM Friday and Saturday, along with new requirements concerning barrier safety, insurance requirements, and evacuation plans.
More information on the 2022 temporary outdoor dining program can be found here.
[March 18 update: The Boston Herald states that expanded outdoor dining will start in the North End May 1, though restaurants will have to pay $7,500 to opt in, with that money being used for such neighborhood services as street cleaning and sidewalk cleaning. In addition, the temporary patios will end in the neighborhood on September 30, though the end date will be September 5 for "bad actors" who have received warnings or had suspensions for breaking the rules, and closing time will be a half hour earlier than the rest of the city which will also be able to keep their expanded patios open through December. (The article also says that the section of Hanover Street between Cross Street and Richmond Street will become one way during the expanded patio season.)]
[March 29 update: Universal Hub posts that Mayor Wu has made changes to the fees for expanded outdoor dining in the North End, including allowing monthly payments of $1,500 instead of a lump sum of $7,500, and there will also be hardship reductions for smaller dining spots, restaurants that aren't on Hanover Street or Salem Street, and eateries that don't have liquor licenses. (UH also tweets that Wu "Reiterates North End is different than other neighborhoods: More patios, more densely populated, have to balance needs of restaurants and residents."]
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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