Edgartown’s inchoate European model for downtown avenues and restaurants came into focus on Tuesday, as town administrator James Hagerty aired various proposals that would close off streets, limit parking and allow for outdoor dining in the summer during the pandemic.

In a 27-slide PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Hagerty outlined the intricacies of four different street closure plans to an unusually large crowd of Zoom participants at the online Edgartown selectmen’s meeting. Each proposal involved varying degrees of restrictiveness, ranging from a proposal that would allow restaurants to simply serve food on any part of their outdoor property, to models that would shut down large portions of Main street for outdoor seating.

“It goes down the spectrum of how much effect it is going to have on town traffic, pedestrian traffic, and other town businesses,” Mr. Hagerty said.

Selectmen plan to decide on the proposals over the course of the next week, with a public hearing set for June 3.

The idea surfaced last month, after selectmen asked Mr. Hagerty to explore creative solutions for food supply concerns that could arise as summer approaches. The town has only one full-service grocery store and often experiences parking congestion downtown during July and August.

The governor’s reopening plan does not extend to restaurants until later phases, currently limiting them to take-out service only.

Mr. Hagerty said Tuesday that he had researched recent outdoor dining models from Boston, Amherst and Provincetown in preparation for Edgartown’s proposal.

“The genesis of this is the major concerns that we’re going to have with the Stop & Shop, with the through-put, and the general food supply and food chain throughout Edgartown as the summer moves forward, specifically in July and August,” Mr. Hagerty said.

The first model he presented would create about seven contiguous zones, or, as Boston is calling them parklets, throughout downtown that would serve as outdoor seating areas. The zones would include a space in the parking lot near Espresso Love, the grass next to the courthouse, the mini-park, Summer Street next to the Port Hunter, Winter street by Backyard Taco, the Kelley House and the stretch of lower Main street encompassing the Wharf and The Atlantic.

The second model would simply include no-vehicle traffic zones on Main Street, starting at the intersection of School, as well as a small section of North School and Summer streets. South Water street would also be turned into a north-running one-way street.

A hybrid version of the first two models would include nearly all the same contiguous zones for seating as well as blocking off a more compartmentalized area of downtown limited to the easternmost section of Main street.

Mr. Hagerty went through each restaurant in the town’s downtown B1 business district and showed a potential outdoor seating section that could be created without issuing anything other than an alteration of premises on the restaurant’s existing property.

“This is by no means the gospel,” he said. “But ultimately this starts a discussion about what direction we want to go in 30, 60, 90 days . . . It is going to be very different than in the past.”

He said details such as what the barriers would look like, how often and during what times the streets would be closed and logistical zoning concerns, such as liquor license alterations and permits to use public sidewalks, would all have to be hammered out.

While selectmen applauded the idea, a few restaurant owners voiced concerns. Michael Brisson, the longtime owner of l’etoile restaurant in Edgartown, said the limitations on vehicles and parking could create difficulties for takeout business — which has become the bread and butter for restaurants since the outbreak began, as well as safety issues and EMS access.

“I see serious issues with closing down the streets for outdoor dining,” Mr. Brisson wrote in a letter that Mr. Hagerty read during the meeting. “How will people get to restaurants downtown to get their curbside pickup takeout order.”

Mr. Brisson proposed having designated vehicle takeout zones to alleviate the problem.

Geoghan Coogan, speaking on behalf of The Wharf restaurant and Rockfish, said he liked the plan but felt that it would have to be a true partnership between the restaurants and towns to work. He added that the summer outlook remained dire regardless.

“No matter what you do, it’s certainly not going to save the season for us,” Mr. Coogan told selectmen. “If we can get a little space and can cut some losses, we’ll use it. But to what degree we’ll use it, I don’t know yet because of the limits.”

Others were more enthusiastic. Chef Joe Monteiro who works at Raw Oyster Bar thanked the selectmen for the plan and voiced his full support.

“I’m on board 100 per cent,” Mr. Monteiro said. “I think it’s a great idea.”

Mr. Hagerty said that the goal of the plan was to do the most the town could to facilitate businesses for the summer, and that it was important to think creatively.

“I don’t know if this is going to work,” Mr. Hagerty said. “But it’s a plan.”

In other business, selectmen heard a proposal to stage an open-air summer farmers’ market in the two parking lots adjacent to town hall.

Julia Tarka, a member of the Edgartown board of trade and owner of Rosewater Market and Takeaway, said safety protocols were adapted by people who run the West Tisbury farmers’ market.

“It seems that’s the way people are going to feel the safest shopping this summer,” Ms. Tarka said. “And would help with additional food capacity.”

Mr. Hagerty said he thought it was a creative solution to food concerns, and was in favor of the proposal as long as health agent Matt Poole and town counsel Ron Rappaport gave their blessing.

“This goes into that same initiative of, hey, let’s try to alleviate some of the pressure on Stop & Shop and try to make it work this summer,” Mr. Hagerty said. “I think ultimately it’s a good idea.”

PowerPoint presentation: edgartown-conceptualresturantplans-052620-01.pdf