Palatine adopts temporary outdoor-dining framework ahead of Phase 3 reopening

Mayor Jim Schwantz convened a special emergency meeting May 27 to set temporary rules enabling outdoor dining once Governor J.B. Pritzker's Phase 3 takes effect on May 29. The council laid out villagewide policy principles and asked staff to implement a simple registration and site-plan process for businesses.

"Majority of what we're going to talk about today is outdoor dining," Mayor Jim Schwantz said, framing the meeting as a rapid-response effort to help restaurants reopen. The council settled on a high-level approach: allow outdoor dining with specific safeguards and give staff discretion to approve site plans and make on-the-ground adjustments.

Key elements agreed by the council include: outdoor dining for seated patrons only; smoking prohibited in outdoor dining areas; temporary structures such as tents must be permitted and inspected; kitchens must remain open while outdoor dining operates; and staff may temporarily close adjacent parking stalls or portions of sidewalks to create safe dining space. Council members also emphasized that the governor's distancing requirements (six feet between tables) are the minimum standard to follow.

The council directed staff to roll out a registration "toolkit" with a short application and site-plan template so businesses can apply quickly, and to monitor compliance. Mayor Schwantz said staff would have authority to adjust hours or revoke outdoor dining privileges for noncompliance ahead of the council's planned June 8 review.