At its March 9, 2021 meeting, the Mayor's 41st Street Blue Ribbon Committee members made a motion in favor of the City's outdoor seating extension program, and made a request to place a discussion item on an upcoming Neighborhoods and Quality of Life Committee (NQLC) agenda, to discuss the possibility of extending the program on 41st Street.   The request for a referral was submitted and approved at the March 17, 2021 City Commission meeting.

The discussion item was presented at the April 28, 2021 NQLC meeting by the sponsor, with the understanding that a program currently exists Citywide, however it is due to sunset on September 30, 2021.  A motion was made to have the item brought back in September, or July (should it be heard in conjunction with a Washington Avenue sponsored item,) to discuss the possibility of further extending the program.

On March 12, 2020, the Miami-Dade County Mayor issued a State of Emergency order for all of Miami-Dade County due to the threats associated with COVID-19, which includes social distancing guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  This order temporarily closed and/or imposed restrictions on public and private facilities, including temporary closures, occupancy limits, and other restrictions applicable to restaurants. 

The City Commission, in efforts to comply with the Mayor's State of Emergency order and CDC social distancing guidelines, adopted the first of its Resolutions establishing a Restaurant Recovery Outdoor Seating Pilot Program, which would allow for restaurants to expand their footprint.  The pilot program is due to sunset on September 30, 2021.   

CURRENT STATUS

Our nation is on its way to recovery from the many hardships of the pandemic (with the assistance of public health measures and a successful vaccine program).  Thus, on May 13, 2021, the CDC announced that fully-vaccinated people are safe to remove their masks in most settings.  Following the announcement from the CDC, Miami Dade County also updated their County COVID-19 guidelines, no longer mandating but recommending people to wear a mask and social distance at Miami-Dade County facilities.