More Outdoor Dining Coming to Downtown

City officials are paving the way for a popular Main Street restaurant to gain outdoor dining space.

Officials plan to discuss a possible legal agreement with the owners at tonight's city commission meeting (6:30 p.m., ).

The agreement would allow for 20 outdoor seats for dining (with alcohol) and the installation of a fountain. It outlines that the restaurant would maintain liability for the dining area and also the upkeep of the fountain.

"The provision of outdoor, café-style dining has been viewed as important ingredient to the ambiance of downtown,” Rob DiSpirito, city manager, wrote in a memo supporting the agreement to commissioners.

Officials believe it will help attract visitors to the east side of the downtown business sector once a $141,926 (at the corner of Highland Avenue and Main Street) is completed this month.

The streetscaping project, which began in late August, added brick pavers, widened the street in some places and moved cable, phone and utility lines underground.

Officials expect the streetscaping project to wrap up in mid-November.