The Freeport Town Council on Wednesday unanimously agreed to extend emergency rules that let restaurants and shops conduct more business outdoors.

The extended rules relax restrictions on outdoor dining, seating, signs and tents.

The  rules were enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow more business activities to occur outdoors, where there is less danger of transmitting the virus compared to indoors.

Wednesday’s vote extends the changes to Sept. 5.

However, the council discussed going through the planning board to make the changes permanent.

“Most everything has worked really well, not only for the businesses but for town staff,” Town Council Vice Chairperson Tawni Whitney said.

Although Councilor Edward Bradley voted in favor of the restrictions, he expressed some hesitance.

“Seems to me what’s happening is that because of COVID we have relaxed standards in our community and that made sense,” Bradley said. “We didn’t go through any process to vet any of those changes so anybody who had objections or concerns about what that did to the complexion of the town, or the character of the town, never got to say anything.”

According to Freeport Town Planner Caroline Pelletier, the emergency rules were first brought to the council in May of 2020. The rules require renewal every 60 days and as of Wednesday, 41 permits had been issued under them.

Pelletier said that examples of entities that have used it mostly include businesses that put up temporary reopening signs, restaurants for expanded outdoor seating and schools for outdoor classroom space.

Speaking to the council, Town Manager Peter Joseph cited Maine Beer Company as an example of a business that would be harmed without the extension — the brew pub would have to remove an outdoor tent that has been popular with patrons.

According to Maine Beer Company Marketing and Communication Manager Anne Marisic, the tent, along with other outdoor seating areas, brings the total outdoor occupancy at the brewery to about 200. The tent was first put up in June 2020, and although it came down over the winter, went back up in mid-May 2021.

“That was where people felt most comfortable,” Marisic said. “It’s been a huge help to us as a business to have that extra space, so we’re very fortunate that the town made that accommodation for businesses.”

Marisic said that while no decisions have been made, there has been discussion about keeping an outdoor area, whether it be a tent or something more permanent.

“This past year has shown what a benefit that can be for a lot of businesses, not just ours,” Marisic added, stating that the she would fully support the permanent implementation of the emergency rules.

Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro Restaurant Manager Lisa Cavallero said that the restaurant in Freeport slightly expanded the outdoor patio in June of 2020 to spread out tables to allow for adequate social distancing.

“COVID, as challenging as a time it was, it really made us stretch our creativity and look at our restaurant differently both inside and outside,” Cavallero said. “I think our patio season, both because of the weather and because of COVID, started earlier. We got a few more people that are really only interested in sitting outside.”

While Cavellero was not familiar with the emergency rules, she said she believes anything that supports local businesses and brings people to Freeport is a positive.

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