Mint Hill loosens COVID-19 rules at restaurants, backs out of Mecklenburg’s order

Restaurants in Mint Hill now have the option to seat dining customers at their bars, officials announced Monday as the town backed out of Mecklenburg County’s tight coronavirus restrictions and instead aligned with Gov. Roy Cooper’s looser regulations.

The county’s joint proclamation banning alcohol sales after 11 p.m. took effect on July 23 for unincorporated parts of Mecklenburg, the city of Charlotte and the towns of Davidson, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville.

But Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio said last week she’d received pushback on certain provisions of the emergency order, particularly limits on food and alcohol service at bar areas.

Unlike Mecklenburg’s order, Cooper’s late-night alcohol curfew — which began on Friday and ends Aug. 31 — doesn’t prohibit food sales after 11 p.m. or shutter bar areas in restaurants. Bars and nightclubs are not allowed to open under Phase Two of Cooper’s reopening plan.

In Monday’s amended proclamation, Mint Hill officials said the change would “allow food to be served in bar areas of restaurants located within Mint Hill.”

Social distancing and other COVID-19 public health guidelines must still be followed, according to Mint Hill’s proclamation. And games that share equipment, such as pool tables, darts and pinball machines, remain banned under Mint Hill’s order.

Mayor: Still taking pandemic seriously

Mint Hill Mayor Brad Simmons said local restaurants — many of which were already struggling financially due to reduced indoor dining capacity — took a “bigger hit” as seating in bar areas also became off-limits. The decision to align with the governor’s order, Simmons said, is intended to not punish businesses further amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We always want to listen to Mecklenburg. This just fit better with Mint Hill,” Simmons told the Observer. “We want (residents) to know that we’re still taking this pandemic very seriously.”

It is unclear if other towns in Mecklenburg will also rescind their support for the local order — or support imposing it beyond Phase Two, which could end as early as Friday.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, through a spokesman, said Monday the city intends to adhere to Mecklenburg’s alcohol-related restrictions. And Lyles “will continue to follow the recommendations of the Mecklenburg County health director” if extensions to the order are needed, city spokesman Jeremy Mills said.

Matthews Mayor John Higdon said the town will “stay the course” with Mecklenburg for now, though officials will review the restrictions during an Aug. 10 meeting.

“We’ve heard a few complaints. We’re really playing better safe than sorry,” Higdon told the Observer. “We’re still cognizant of our business owners as they stay afloat.”

Food sales affected

Leaders in the towns of Cornelius and Huntersville had opted out of the restriction as policymakers debated strategies for slowing the spread of COVID-19. Diorio and other officials, including Lyles, said they were concerned about large crowds gathering in nightclubs and other establishments, possibly fueling more coronavirus clusters.

“Young people are not doing what we need them to do. They’re not wearing masks, they’re not social distancing,” Diorio told business executives during a Friday luncheon. “We’ve seen the Ink N Ivy video, we’ve seen the videos of what’s going on in South End and other places, and as long as that kind of behavior continues, we’re going to continue to see spread within the younger population.”

About 45% of coronavirus cases are among adults ages 20 to 39, the latest county data shows.

Since last month, food sales have been affected in Mecklenburg as the county grapples with more than 21,000 coronavirus cases and more than 200 related deaths. Restaurants have continued offering delivery or pick-up food orders after 11 p.m., but on-site customers are banned between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 3:09 PM.