The outdoor dining space for The Blue Hen on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach is about to have twice as much seating.

During a meeting June 18, Rehoboth Beach commissioners approved an amended supplemental permit of compliance for the ground-level restaurant located in the Avenue Inn.

During the public hearing portion prior to approval, Corey Shinko, director of the city’s Planning, Zoning and Development Department, said the existing permit of compliance remains unchanged. The dining patio and the area within remain unchanged, he said.

This would increase seats on the dining patio from 17 to 34. Nothing else is changing, said Shinko.

The Blue Hen opened in 2017. Heather Sharp and Julie Robinson have owned it since 2022, and both attended the hearing.

“We love doing business in Rehoboth. We love the community, our guests and our visitors,” said Sharp, prior to the approval. “We just want everyone to enjoy The Blue Hen and its patio to the fullest extent it can be.”

Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the amendment.