By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – Restaurants, bars and taverns looking to expand their licensed premises for physical distancing to prevent the exposure and spread of COVID-19 may apply to do so through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 1 under a resolution approved at a special meeting Tuesday, June 9, by the village board.
The resolution will allow a temporary expansion of licensed premises where alcohol may be served, if approved by the village clerk, director of public safety and village president with the clerk authorized to develop a separate form for such requests.
Temporary expansions would be required to comply with all other applicable laws, ordinances and regulations, including the village code related to outdoor areas and loud and unnecessary noise.
Those expansions expiring Nov. 1, the date the Green Bay Packers are scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field, would not be allowed permanently under the resolution.
Temporary premises expansions granted would be reported to the board at its next regular meeting and placed on the consent agenda for formal approval.
Village President Mary Kardoskee said multiple municipalities in Northeast Wisconsin already approved letting businesses move outside because of the pandemic.
“We normally would not allow that to happen, but we are trying to be flexible for some of them in the wake of having the pandemic,” she said. “We’re going to be a little more flexible in allowing their liquor license to be changed up to add some premises outside.”
She said Director of Public Safety Brian Uhl, Village Attorney Tony Wachewicz and Clerk-Treasurer Patrick Moynihan Jr. will all see the maps showing where businesses want to expand their premises, such as adding tables outside.
Kardoskee said an application will be available online, and businesses requesting a temporary premises expansion will have to put together a site plan to receive approval.
“They will have to draw a site plan, but it’s a fairly basic application,” she said. “It shouldn’t be too hard for anybody, really, to fill out.”
Moynihan said requests for a temporary premises expansion would be no different than a business requesting outdoor seating.
“They have to provide a design, show the dimensions, what have you, proper signage, keep the alcohol within that confined area,” he said. “We do this routinely.”