New rules are in effect for Moline bars and restaurants that want to offer outdoor seating during the pandemic. Starting Friday, Illinois will allow bars and restaurants to re-open and only serve outside, and the city says they may be able to use adjacent parking lots and even part of the street.
Mayor Stephanie Acri has issued an executive order relaxing some of the current and very strict requirements.
"So there's special fencing that they have to do - it's all about the aesthetics of what they're doing - that is the part that we're putting to the side right now. We're less concerned with the aesthetics of it and we're more concerned about the public safety as well as the business's viability."
Applications are available on the Moline website, and will be considered by a committee of aldermen and representatives from the public works and police departments.
