PORTLAND, Maine (WGAN) The city of Portland is proposing changes as they look to get restaurants and retail businesses back open by June 1st.

Under Governor Janet Mills’ statewide reopening plan, those businesses can begin allowing customers through their doors on that date, as the state continues it’s effort to keep the spread of coronavirus under control. On Tuesday, the city said it’s looking into ways to do that safely, by closing down streets to accomodate outdoor dining and retail sales, and by expanding existing outdoor dining areas onto public and private property.

Those street closures would impact:

Cotton Street (from Spring Street to Fore Street)
Dana Street
Exchange Street (from Fore Street to Federal Street)
Milk Street (from Exchange Street to Market Street, and Silver Street to Pearl Street)
Middle Street (from Franklin Street to India Street)
Wharf Street

Under the proposal, customers and staff in those expanded outdoor areas would still need to observe social distancing guidelines by staying six feet apart.

The city will also work with businesses to get them permits which allow them to expand outdoor spaces.

“We worked quickly across several departments to put together a proposal that would give our small business community a number of useful tools to assist them as they seek to reopen or expand their operations in accordance with the State’s guidance for a June 1 opening,” said City Manager Jon Jennings. “This a pilot program with a number of temporary policy changes that, if approved, we hope will help businesses as they seek to begin safely serving patrons again.”

“I’m grateful for staff’s quick work to identify opportunities for Portland restaurants as they navigate reopening with the required physical distancing,” said Mayor Kate Snyder in a statement on Tuesday.

City staff are set to present the plan to the city council’s Economic Development Committee on Thursday afternoon. It would then go to the full council next Monday.