Mill Valley Cuts Cord On Outdoor Dining

MILL VALLEY, CA — Mill Valley outdoor diners are officially on the clock.

The City Council voted unanimously on Monday to rescind an urgency ordinance that has served as a lifeline to local restaurants and other businesses amid the pandemic.

The ordinance passed on Monday ends the program on June 30 of next year.

The City Council enacted the temporary outdoor dining and business program order in June of 2020 according to a staff report that recommended rescinding the program.

“Ronald Reagan once said that nothing lasts longer than a temporary government program,” Mill Valley Mayor John McCauley said, summing up his trepidations about the program.

The council's move has the support of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“Business owners need runway and clarity to plan for the months ahead, particularly at a precarious time like this one given the delta variant surge. If conditions take a turn for the worse, having the ability to continue leveraging outdoor spaces for a variety of uses, including outdoor dining, is critically important,” MVCC Executive Director Jim Welte wrote in a statement to Patch.

“We look forward to continuing our ongoing partnership with the City to navigate what awaits us during the hopefully waning months of this COVID-19 crisis."

This story has been updated to include comments from Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jim Welte