Over the course of two years, only one restaurant participated in a pilot program that Herndon council members created with the hope of expanding outdoor dining options within the Town.
That lackluster response — followed by Mile 20’s decision not to obtain another permit in 2026 — led to council members’ unanimous agreement at a work session on Tuesday (Jan. 13) to let its “streetery” initiative expire.
The program, established in late May 2024, allowed restaurants to create temporary outdoor dining areas in designated public spaces, such as sidewalks and on-street parking areas — but implementation proved challenging.
The cost of setting up and breaking down equipment in a small area, in addition to storage for the winter months, appeared to be the greatest obstacle to participation, town staff said.
“If you only have a few tables, you’re not necessarily getting that return on investment for the restaurants,” David Stromberg, zoning administrator for the Town of Herndon, told council members.
The town modified the program in 2025 — given its late start the previous year — to expand how long the permit would be valid, from March to November. To obtain the permit, businesses could pay a $100 application fee, plus $1 per square foot for the first two parking spaces or public sidewalk; and $5 per square foot for the third and fourth parking spaces.
Council members expressed disappointment that the program, which was focused on Center, Station, Pine, and Lynn streets, hadn’t created the ‘destination’ atmosphere they had hoped for.
“We lack the sort of open dining that people want during those months, or evenings when it is nice,” said Councilmember Cesar del Aguila. “If you have a doubt, walk through the Reston Town Center, or walk through Vienna, where there’s outdoor dining. It’s pretty much packed when it’s nice. I think to whatever extent, it’s just my opinion, we should look at why there [weren’t] as many businesses wanting to get involved.”
Vice Mayor Clark Hedrick said suggested the design of the town was probably a factor.
“I think this is probably something we should talk about in our comprehensive plan discussion,” he said. “How do we sort of set the vision for hey, we want more outdoor dining here? How do we create an environment as a town where, when things are built … we are designing for that sort of thing?”
