Starkville may soon see additional outdoor dining opportunities

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – There may be outside dining in downtown Starkville.

Special Circuit Judge David Chandler ruled in favor of the city of Starkville.

The city proposed using nine parking spaces on Main Street to create a streatery. The area on the south side of the street would allow for tables, chairs, and expanded seating for downtown restaurants. This was proposed during the pandemic to give businesses options for social distancing.

But a local businessman objected, filing suit against the city.

The suit was resolved this week by a special circuit judge, allowing the city to use the space.

Mayor Lynn Spruill says the board hopes Starkville residents and visitors will enjoy the area.

“This is one of the things that we’re trying to do is bring a lot of life and vibrancy to our community. And through that, you bring people downtown to stay in to do things that downtown and having public spaces as part of that, so we view that as one of the steps that we were trying to achieve, particularly during the pandemic, so that people could be outside,” said Mayor Spruill.

Mayor Spruill says there is an appeals process and that the city will wait until that ends before they begin work on the outdoor area.