Dunellen Borough Council to Vote on Reopening Plan for Expanded Outdoor Seating and Retail Sales for Downtown Businesses

May 31, 2020 – Dunellen Mayor Jason Cilento, in consultation with the Dunellen Office of Emergency Management and Borough Administration, has developed a Dunellen Reopening Plan that will encourage Dunellen restaurants to expand the seating to side-walk and parking-lot dining. The plan also encourages sidewalk retail sales for businesses downtown so long as they do not obstruct pedestrian traffic, violate safe distancing protocols and wear PPE.  The plan would go into effect when the State permits businesses on Main Streets to begin operations under the Governor’s next phase of his re-opening plan.

Under the plan, the Borough of Dunellen would formalize a blueprint to close down a section of a public parking lot to create an outdoor public dining and retail experience during weekends. These measures will provide Dunellen business owners the opportunity to expand their businesses beyond their walls and encourage more individuals to patronize their businesses, so long as they follow social distancing and PPE requirements.

“We have to provide our small businesses the opportunity to open up and compete against the big box stores, who many have been able to be open during this entire pandemic,” Mayor Cilento said. “Many of our businesses are independently owned and are generational Mom & Pop Shops. This plan encourages Dunellen businesses to become creative under the State’s guidelines and gives them a fighting chance to survive with the help of temporarily loosening our local ordinances.”

Currently, the Borough of Dunellen has developed a plan to allow local fitness and wellness businesses the opportunity to hold classes of limited capacity in an open space in one of Dunellen’s parks. This is an effort to recognize and promote these businesses, as well as to encourage the physical and mental health of these businesses’ clients as well as Dunellen residents.

The reopening plan will be discussed and voted on at the next Borough of Dunellen Council meeting on June 1, 2020 at 7pm.