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City Of Ypsilanti Considering Extending Sidewalk Cafes Permits

City of Ypsilanti

The City of Ypsilanti is considering extending its Sidewalk Cafés permits to allow businesses to continue offering outdoor dining during the pandemic.  


City staff says about 80% of customers are seeking outdoor dining during the pandemic.  To help businesses keep up with that demand, they will ask city council to extend the Sidewalk Cafes permit period from November 1st until May of 2021.  Council Member Steve Wilcoxen from the second ward says the outdoor permit has helped businesses, like bars and restaurants, stay open during the pandemic.

Council Member Steve Wilcoxen: Doing what we can to support businesses to stay open, that’s employment for people who live here, that’s the health of the businesses themselves, the health of the folks who work there.

While Wilcoxen supports the idea of extending the outdoor dining permit, he wants to hear from city staff on how it may impact sidewalk snow removal during the winter months.

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— Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu

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