Bocca Coal Fired Bistro
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE With the pandemic waning, the city has no plans to close a portion of Essex Avenue to vehicular traffic this summer, although other eating establishments may continue to use their parking lots for outdoor dining until November, officials said.
For the last two summers, a portion of N. Essex Avenue near Ventnor Avenue was closed to traffic to allow Lou Freedman's Bocca Coal Fired Bistro to serve food and drinks under a tent set up in the street next to the restaurant. Freedman said without it, his employees would have become unemployed.
At the height of the pandemic, the governing body approved Freedman's request to use the street for outdoor dining with the caveat that hours for musical entertainment would be limited so as not to disturb neighbors on the narrow residential street.
Bocca received the street, while other eating establishments, such as Steve & Cookies By The Bay, Sophia's, Johnny's Café and Robert's Place were permitted to set up along sidewalks and in their parking lots. Although Bocca does not have on-site parking, Freedman leases the Ocean First Bank parking lot across the street during the summer months as a convenience for his customers.
In response to a resident who questioned the practice during the public portion of the March 17 Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner of Public Safety John Amodeo said, There is no consideration for closing it this year.
According to Dennis Gorniowski, now that the pandemic is becoming endemic and indoor dining restrictions have been lifted, the practice should not continue, he said.
Amodeo said other restaurants would be able to use their parking lots and sidewalks until Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order permitting the extension of liquor licenses to outdoor areas expires on Nov. 30, 2022.
We closed it during the pandemic because people wanted to eat outside and it was the right thing to do at the time, Amodeo said.
Why is the street closed that could be a danger for medical reasons, fires, any reason for that on a one-way street, Gorniowski asked.
I can tell you there were many, many more happy people than unhappy people, Commissioner Maury Blumberg responded. Yes, we had a few complaints, but we had a couple hundred people over a period of time who thought it was a good thing and they thanked us for doing it.
There's no support to close Essex Avenue this year, Mayor Michael Becker said.
Freedman said the executive order cites rights of way, which he said includes roadways.
You can't pick and choose who you give it to, Freedman said. It has to be fair for everyone.
On March 17, Margate Police Chief Matthew Hankinson said the city had not received a request from Freedman to use the street again this year, but Freedman said Friday that he may still submit an application.
I haven't decided yet, but I have already had requests from people who want to use the tent area for special gatherings, he said.
Over the last two years, Freedman said he has received a couple of complaints, yet neighbors closest to the area do not object because closing the street has allowed their children to play in safety.
They love it, he said.
Freedman pointed to an informal survey conducted in 2021 that included a question about outdoor dining and if respondents would like to see the trend continue.
Freedman said 314 people indicated they would, only three people said no, and 15 people wrote that outdoor dining was the best thing to happen during the pandemic.
Freedman said he had to overcome a lot of negative press regarding the partial road closure, but he did what he thought was right under extraordinary circumstances.
If you were me, would you ask for the permit? he said. I have to do what's best for me, my business and my employees.
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