Silver Diner Rio is Requesting Approval For 1,581 SF Pergola For Outdoor Dining

Silver Diner is requesting approval for a 1,581 square-foot pergola for outdoor dining at Silver Diner RIO. The pergola structure will include a louvered roof and walls with a guillotine-style window system (additional renderings below).

You may remember the deconstruction of Silver Diner’s outdoor patio at Rio in 2022. At that time we were told the diner was planning on constructing a new outdoor patio, but the outdoor patio returned with a nearly identical look. At the time, an employee told us that due to the patio being situated above water and the supports having to go beneath the water, the project proved to be too much so the original patio was brought back in time for diners to enjoy Spring and Summer dining outdoors in 2023.

With the new project, the existing iron fence surrounding the dining area will be removed. Silver Diner employees will be able to remotely operate both the louvered ceiling and the guillotine window system. The guillotine-style windows will rise and lower using existing tracks in the pergola columns. The top window panels are lowered by a motor and will nest behind the stationary lower panels. The ceiling louvers will open to let in air and can also retract towards the Silver Diner primary building to leave the outdoor dining area mostly uncovered.

The pergola will contain two access points to the boardwalk; the primary entrance will be a standard double-door system that faces the lake while the other single-door on the northwest façade will be utilized as a fire escape. Employees and customers can access the pergola from the primary structure with the existing restaurant doors.

When the side wall panels are lowered, the three-foot-tall bottom panel acts as a railing. The structure will be composed of materials that are consistent with the existing restaurant and will not adversely affect the surrounding properties.

Staff recommends that the planning commission approve the plan with once condition- Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant must submit revised final site plans to correct the charts, labels, and minor plan clean ups, to be reviewed and approved by Planning Department.

Information courtesy of Gaithersburg Planning Commission Docs