The Bowling Green City Commission approved Tuesday a municipal order allowing restaurants to increase outdoor seating as they reopen, hired a firm to oversee transit in the city and approved spending $740,000 to increase affordable housing.

According to the municipal order approved in a meeting held by teleconference, restaurants may petition the city to use public property to maximize outdoor seating. It also suspends some other regulations regarding use of outdoor spaces for dining. It would allow, for example, restaurants to erect tents to serve diners and even use parking lots for operations.

Restaurants may resume in-person service Friday with a maximum of 33 percent indoor capacity after being closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The order “is designed to try to assist businesses, in this case restaurants,” Commissioner Brian “Slim” Nash said.

In arguing for the order, which was approved unanimously, Nash cited reports that diners feel more comfortable eating in outdoor spaces amid the pandemic.

Restaurants’ plans would have to be approved by City Manager Jeff Meisel, and the eateries would also have to abide by all safety restrictions related to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, commissioners approved hiring a new transit management firm, the culmination of a process to hire a specialist to handle the city’s transit system that has spanned several years.

Three companies responded to a request for proposals from the city earlier this year to manage transit operations, provide transit services or both, according to City Neighborhood and Community Services Director Brent Childers.

City staff members interviewed representatives of all three firms and recommended that RATP Dev USA of Fort Worth, Texas, handle the transit management portion.

“They will serve as an agent of the city running” transit, Childers said.

RATP Dev USA also manages Topper Transit at Western Kentucky University, allowing for the possibility of more collaboration between WKU and city transit operations, Childers said.

Community Action of Southern Kentucky was given the contract to continue to provide the actual transit services for the coming year. Community Action has operated GO bg Transit since 2003.

Transit is funded primarily through federal dollars.

The contract with RATP calls for the firm to be paid $17,905 a month and Community Action $73.50 per revenue hour.

Commissioners also approved $480,000 for Live the Dream Development of Bowling Green and $260,000 for HOTEL INC of Bowling Green to increase affordable housing in the city.

As part of the city’s Neighborhood Improvements Plan program, Bowling Green has been looking to expand affordable housing in the census tracts roughly bounded by Old Morgantown and Morgantown roads.

Childers said Live the Dream will use the funds to rehabilitate 12 housing units and HOTEL INC will use the funds for acquiring and rehabbing two houses for affordable transitional housing.