Plymouth Rejects Raising Rates For Outdoor Dining Space

PLYMOUTH, MI — A proposal to increase rates on the outdoor square footage used by restaurants failed in a Monday night vote.

Plymouth City Commission officials rejected the measure, which would have raised rates to $2 per square foot for outdoor dining space. The measure also sought to have the outdoor dining spaces set at least six feet away from storefronts. However, most restaurants in the area have their outdoor patios right up against the storefront.

Only Plymouth Mayor Nick Moroz voted in favor of the measure, calling it a "slight increase."

Restaurant owners in Plymouth currently pay $1.50 per square foot. The proposal originally called for raising rates to as much as $15 a square foot, constituting a 900 percent increase. That proposal blindsided many restaurant owners in the area, especially as they continue rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic.