Politics & Government

Season's Gets Approval For Patio Addition

Minimal questions from Planning Board members

As the result of an application approved by the planning board on Thursday night, patron's of will soon have the opportunity to dine al fresco. 

The restaurant, which has been for less than a year was applying to add a patio area to their property as well as an outdoor cooling unit. Currently customers who want fresh air with their meal can sit at one of the tables in the bar area with the large doors open wide to provide the feel of being outside. Now, the patio, which will only add a few hundred feet to the blueprint of the building will give them a new option for when the weather is warm. 

Overall the members of the board seemed in favor of the proposal while Paul Schneider had one objection to the project. Citing recent examples where cars have driven into establishments in locations similar to Season's, Schneider was concerned that the plans did not do enough to protect people at the restaurant from such an occurrence. 

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Henry Hinterstein, a professional planner called as a witness by the applicant said a fence was going to be put around the patio area with cement piers to act as a deterrent from any potentially dangerous crashes. Schneider then inquired how far apart the cement blocks would be. When told that the plan called for them to be placed 12 feet apart, the board member asked if they could be moved closer to six feet apart so as to better combat an oncoming car. 

While the applicant said they would be okay with that change, the board passed the application as it was presented leaving Schneider as the only vote against the proposal. Had they agreed to put in the extra piers, Schneider said he would not have voted against the plan. "It makes no difference if it's 12 feet or six feet. It's just putting in a few extras," he said. "I'm for this patio. I'm for this project. I think it's fine. But two ore three more of these things, I don't see what the problem would be."

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In the end, the rest of the board felt comfortable with the plans as they were presented and voted in favor of the plan. 


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