What is the future of outdoor dining in Grafton?

There were, shockingly, a few pleasures that COVID-19 brought to Grafton: Margaritas while sitting in the sun beside Lake Ripple. Grabbing appetizers with friends and relaxing outside to live music at a favorite restaurant. 

And, for restaurants, it gifted the ability to bring customers back in the warmer months — even if it did mean turning the parking lot into a dining room.

Outdoor dining, in restaurants that did not previously provide it, began in June 2020 as part of the state’s re-opening plan. It returned the following year but the measure will not be continuing statewide, leaving it up to the town to decide its future.

“The temporary process was not meant to be a permanent process,” Town Planner Christopher McGoldrick told the Select Board and Planning Board Tuesday.

With few Grafton restaurants offering outdoor tables prior to the pandemic, they instead looked to their parking lots, renting tents to shield guests from the sun and rain. The first summer, most were separated from actual parking by planters but last year, additional safety buffers were required.

Police Chief Normand Crepeau said safety is a concern.

“How close do we let the cars get to them? We have to consider what type of barriers,” he said. “It could be an accident waiting to happen.”

He was also worried about the potential for outdoor diners to hand off alcohol to people outside of the dining area and recommended that any entertainment should only be offered inside to avoid repeats of past complaints.

“Obviously, I’m in favor of outdoor dining,” Building Inspector Bob Berger said. “It was great during Covid.”

But with restaurants now open inside, additional seating outside will cause parking problems, Berger noted. Not only will outdoor seating take up some parking spaces, but restaurants need to have additional parking for extra seating anyway.

“I don’t want to be the zoning enforcement officer that has to count how many people are on the inside and on the outside,” he said.

McGoldrick plans to have a plan to present to the Planning Board on Monday, with the hope of adding it to the Town Meeting warrant.

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