Hempfield waives temporary tent permit fee to help businesses during pandemic

Hempfield businesses can receive a temporary tent permit from the township without paying a fee. The offer is an attempt to help businesses move products outdoors to maintain social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Township supervisors this week unanimously agreed to waive the $350 fee until Dec. 31. Supervisor Tom Logan was not present at the public meeting.

Businesses are still required to receive a permit, “so we understand where those tents are,” said Patrick Karnash, director of planning and zoning.

The vote came days before Gov. Tom Wolf released new guidelines allowing restaurants and retail food services to begin outdoor dining services starting June 5 while in the yellow phase.

“Hopefully this will lead to increased customers at many locations, and with the governor easing the outdoor dining restrictions on June 5 it will also allow restaurants which previously didn’t have an outdoor option to create one for customers to have a sit-down option,” Karnash said.