[Amended 12-13-1991 by Ord. No. 1291-1; 12-13-1991 by Ord. No. 1291-2; 6-1-1992 by Ord. No. 692-1; 10-21-2016 by Ord. No. 1016-01]
A. Restaurants. In addition to the standards of the relevant zoning district, an establishment that meets the definition of a restaurant where alcoholic liquor is sold or consumed on the premises shall comply with the following:
(1) Be totally enclosed, excepting any area included in a validly issued dining patio supplemental certificate of compliance.
(2) Is regularly used and kept open principally for the purpose of serving complete meals. The service of only such food and victuals as sandwiches or salads shall not be deemed to be the service of meals.
(3) Have seating and tables for a minimum of 35 patrons, and suitable kitchen facilities connected therewith for cooking an assortment of foods under the charge of a chef or cook.
(4) The sum of the floor space devoted to permanent seated dining area and bar area in any building shall not exceed 2,500 square feet, except that where a restaurant occupies space in a building also housing a hotel/motel containing at least 25 bedrooms, the area so devoted may be up to but not more than 3,750 square feet.
(5) The bar area shall be no more than 25% of the square footage of the permanent seated dining area, but not to exceed a maximum of 500 square feet, except that any restaurant regardless of its permanent seated dining area may have a bar area of 350 square feet.
(6) Tables and chairs in the permanent seated dining area may not be temporarily moved so as to increase the space where patrons can consume alcoholic liquor without such consumption being secondary to food consumption while seated at tables.
(7) Patrons may not consume alcoholic liquor in the permanent seated dining area unless seated at tables.
B. Dining Patios. Dining patios licensed, constructed or expanded after June 14, 1991, shall only be used for consumption of food and beverages consistent with the following conditions:
(1) The gross area devoted to dining patio purposes shall be limited to 1,000 square feet per restaurant, which area shall be permitted in addition to the limitation contained in §
270-19A(4).
[Amended 9-16-2022 by Ord. No. 0922-01]
(2) Food and beverages may be served only to seated patrons and no patrons may wait on the dining patio for seating.
(3) There shall be no live entertainment on the dining patio.
(4) There shall be no external speakers or amplifiers on the dining patio and no internal speakers from the premises are to be directed to the dining patio.
(5) There shall be no bar on the dining patio.
(6) There shall be a physical barrier around the perimeter of the dining patio no less than 42 inches high constructed of wood, concrete, plastic, wrought iron, dense vegetation or other approved material such that entry and exit will be restricted to no more than two discrete locations.
(7) No one shall construct or operate a dining patio unless it is included in a supplemental permit of compliance issued pursuant to Chapter
215 of the Municipal Code of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
(8) A dining patio existing as of June 14, 1991, shall be considered a legal nonconforming use but shall be subject to all of the provisions of this chapter if expanded pursuant to a supplemental permit of compliance.
C. Brewery-pubs. In addition to the standards of the relevant zoning district, an establishment that meets the definition of a brewery-pub shall comply with the following:
(1) The brewery-pub must be situated on the premises of and be physically a part of a restaurant which holds a valid certificate of compliance issued by the city.
(2) No more than 50% of the total gross floor area of the establishment shall be used for the brewery function, including, but not limited to, the brewhouse, boiling and water treatment areas, bottling and kegging lines, malt milling and storage, fermentation tanks, conditioning tanks and serving tanks.
(3) No more than 4,000 barrels (124,000 U.S. gallons) of beer shall be brewed on the premises in any calendar year.
(4) Retail carryout sale of beer produced on the premises shall be allowed in containers having a capacity of no more than one U.S. gallon (3,785 ml/128 U.S. fluid ounces).
(5) All aspects of the brewing process shall be completely confined within a building.
(6) No outdoor storage of raw materials, supplies, or product shall be allowed; this prohibition includes the use of fixed or portable storage units, cargo containers and tractor trailers. Beer containers emptied of their contents may be stored outside provided they are screened from public view with an acceptable screen material, including wood, lattice, fine-mesh fencing, plantings or other suitable material erected in conformance to all building and zoning codes. Said screened storage areas and containers shall not be located within setback areas.
(7) The brewery function shall be designed and operated so as to have no noxious or offensive brewery-related air-borne or water-borne emissions, including odors from storage of solid or semi-solid waste or by-product, that create a public or private nuisance.
(8) No one shall construct or operate a brewery-pub unless it is included in a supplemental permit of compliance issued pursuant to Chapter
215 of the Municipal Code of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
D. Dinner theaters. In addition to the standards of the relevant zoning district an establishment that meets the definition of a dinner theater where alcoholic liquor is sold or consumed on the premises shall comply with the following:
(2) Is regularly used and kept open for the purpose of presenting public performances featuring live actor(s) in dramatic or musical productions after and not simultaneously with the serving of complete meals. The service of only such food and victuals as sandwiches or salads shall not be deemed to be the service of meals.
(3) Must serve complete meals to at least 3/4 of the patrons at each performance, and they shall be served in the permanent seated dining area in front of or surrounding the stage. Seating at tables shall be provided for each patron.
(4) Have seating and tables for a minimum of 35 patrons, and suitable kitchen facilities connected therewith for cooking an assortment of foods under the charge of a chef or cook.
(5) There shall be no more than one dinner theater in any public building, and except for motels and hotels, a dinner theater shall not share a building with any other commercial activity.
(6) No more than 2,500 square feet of floor space in any dinner theater shall be devoted to permanent seated dining area.
(7) Shall not have a bar area where patrons consume alcoholic beverages but may have a service bar area where alcoholic beverages are stored and delivered to waiters for service to the patrons seated in the permanent seated dining area.
(8) Shall not serve alcoholic beverages more than one hour before the service of the complete meal begins or more than two hours before the live stage production begins, whichever is less. Alcoholic beverages may also be served during intermissions but not during or after the performance.
(9) The rules set forth herein apply to each and every performance. When repeated performances are to be given, all patrons from the first performance must leave the establishment before seating can begin for the next performance.
(10) Shall close and all patrons must leave by 12:00 midnight.
E. Certain prohibited uses citywide. No structure or land shall be used or occupied anywhere in the City of Rehoboth Beach, regardless of whether the land is zoned residential or commercial, for the following uses: taproom, tavern, dance hall, cabaret, nightclub, after-hours club, microbrewery, craft distillery or cafe. Anything contained in Article
II, Use Regulations, or any other portion of Chapter
270, Zoning, of the Municipal Code of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which is inconsistent herewith is to the extent of such inconsistency repealed.