93-3-WMR Audio on Demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now, Preston and Steve's news updates with Kathy Romano.

Today is Friday, October 16th.

Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning in the news this morning.

Philadelphia officials on Thursday announced new guidelines for restaurants offering outdoor dining during the cold fall and winter months ahead.

The guidelines paint a clearer picture of what's permissible for restaurants offering dining options during the coronavirus pandemic.

They specify what types of shelters and heating sources restaurants can use.

So restaurant owners will not have to obtain

a city building permit for prefabricated tents and canopies. They will have to obtain a right-of-way

permit which applies for all shelters. On the other hand, owners will need to get a building

permit if they decide to go with a shelter made of pliable material like nylon or polyester

that's attached to their

building but set up over a sidewalk. Similarly, these shelters will need a right-of-way permit

for the block or the sidewalk. If owners go with a shelter made of non-pliable material like wood,

they will also have to get a building permit. Electric propane and natural gas heaters are

allowed, but they have to have specifically be for outdoor use as well as be installed safely

and be placed three feet away from combustible materials if they're electric and five feet away

if they're powered by propane or natural gas. All heaters must be secured and tamper-proof.

Heaters that use kerosene or open flames

are not allowed nor any that burns solid fuels like wood, even if it has a mesh covering over it,

you know, like a fire pit that you would have in your backyard. So that will not be allowed.

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