Invermere’s popular pizzeria has been given the green light for an outdoor expansion.

In order to develop his sidewalk patio into an outdoor extension of his restaurant’s cozy dining room, Peppi’s Italian Fuel owner Tim Goldie applied to the District of Invermere council for permission to upgrade his establishment.

After several exchanges between Peppi’s and town council, approval was granted to Peppi’s at the Tuesday, May 14th DOI council meeting for “an encroachment within the 8th Avenue right of way” for a covered restaurant.

“We’ve been trying to get it rolling with the town for a couple years and it finally got the go-ahead,” Goldie said.

While the pizzeria is now permitted to proceed with an outdoor renovation, he said the plan probably won’t be implemented amid the summer influx of tourism.

When he decides to make the change, Goldie said the layout will improve.

“We will pour more concrete where the flower boxes are so it will increase the size,” he said. “We want to build booth-seating on the outside to make it really nice like on the inside — and we’ll put a big awning above.”

He will also be looking into extending a wooden patio onto the road over the business’ two allocated parking spaces, similar to downtown restaurants.

“Generally, council is supportive of outdoor patios and business improvement,” Mayor Gerry Taft told The Valley Echo. After going through “the ins and outs” of the proposal, council unanimously approved the encroachment, he said.