Baltimore Restaurants Will Soon Post Health Code Violations

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City restaurants and carryouts will have to post health code violations under a bill passed Monday night. It's a compromise that ends a long debate over how restaurants should be rated.

Pat Warren has more on what you can expect.

This proposal is aimed at letting the public know without the unfairness some restaurants were worried about.

WJZ asked Marylanders if they want to know about health code violations in city restaurants and carryouts and exactly why a restaurant was shut down.

"We're sitting there eating. They don't tell us they have rat droppings, roaches; they have freezers that don't work good that hold the meat that we're buying," said June Henson.

The City Council first rejected a grading system that would require restaurants to prominently display their grade in windows but objections were raised about how those grades would be interpreted and how it might remain in the public's mind long after the problem was fixed.

Now the council has approved posting a notice listing the reasons the Health Department shut it down.

Ann Coslow is one of the restaurant owners who objected to the grading system.

"I feel this is a good compromise," Coslow said.

That compromise includes weekly online postings of closures.

"Good idea. Really good idea. I think it's important that you know why they were shut down initially. Then you can make the decision whether you want to go back there or not," said Lou Mann.

"And when the corrections have been made, I think that should be made public as well," said Kevin Drost.

"Transparency is a good thing," said Marissa Fernandez.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is expected to sign the bill. The bill takes effect 30 days after the mayor signs it.

The City Health Department has closed 40 restaurants and carryouts so far this year.