Philadelphia Restaurants Set To Reopen For Outdoor Dining Friday

Natasha Brown reports.

♪ ♪RESTAURANTS IN PHILADELPHIAARE FINDING OUT WHAT IT WILLTAKE TO SERVE CUSTOMERS ONCEAGAIN.THE CITY RELEASED MOREGUIDELINES TODAY ABOUT OUTDOORDINING PLANS.NATASHA BROWN JOINS US WITH THATSTORY.THAT'S GOOD NEWS NATASHA.REPORTER: IT IS CERTAINLYGOOD NEWS.CERTAINLY A LIFELINE FOR SO MANYOF THESE RESTAURANTS JESSICA.WE CAN TELL YOU TODAY CITYOFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT ANYRESTAURANT IN THE CITY OFPHILADELPHIA AND IN ANYNEIGHBORHOOD TO BE ABLE TOREOPEN SAFELY AND TO DO THAT WHOOUTDOOR DINING AND TODAY THEYLAID OUT GUIDELINES AN AS TO HOWTO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.AS PHILADELPHIA BEGINS TO SETTLEINTO THE YELLOW PHASE OFREOPENING, BUSINESSES ANDDAYCARE CENTERS OUTDOOR DININGWILL BECOME AN OPTION FORRESIDENTS BEGINNING FRIDAY.TODAY WE DID RELEASEGUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR DINING.WHICH WE HOPE WILL PROVIDEBUSINESSES THROUGHOUTPHILADELPHIA THE OPPORTUNITY TOREOPEN WITH SAFE OPTIONS.RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE PATIOAREAS ON THEIR PROPERTIES AREALREADY HAVE SIDEWALK CAFELICENSES ARE AUTHORIZED TO OFFEROUTDOOR SEATING BEGINNINGTOMORROW.CITY IS ALSO EXPANDINGOUTDOOR DINING OPPORTUNITIES.RESTAURANTS THAT MAY NOT ALREADYHAVE OUTDOOR SEATING AREAS CANNOW APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO CREATETHEM WHERE SPACE IS PERMITTED.WHAT WE NEED FOR FOLKS TO DOIS TO REGISTER IF THEY DO NOTHAVE AN OUTDOOR SIDEWALK SPACECURRENTLY AND ALSO THEY'RE GONNANEED TO BE A ZONING PERMIT FORFOLKS WHO ARE USING A PARKINGLOT OR ADJACENT LOT.WHILE RESTRICTIONS ON DININGARE BEING LOOSENED THE CITY HASALSO RELEASED ANY FURTHERRESTRICTIONS ON CONSTRUCTION.SITES WITH PERMITS CAN RESUMEWORK IN FULL CAPACITY.COVID-19 CASES ARE CONTINUING TOSPIRAL DOWNWARD IN THE CITYMAKING HEALTH OFFICIALS MORECONFIDENT ABOUT REOPENINGS.BUT LARGER GATHERINGS UP TO 25PEOPLE ARE STILL NOTRECOMMENDED.WE ARE STILL DIFFERING ALITTLE BIT FROM THE STATE INTHAT WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING ANYSOCIAL OR RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS.WELL, CITY OFFICIALS WILLSTART TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FORPERMITS FROM RESTAURANT WHO IS