City staff presented an update on the al fresco (outdoor dining) program adopted in 2022 to streamline and make permanent many of the temporary pandemic-era sidewalk and parking-space patios.

What staff reported: Stacy Kranitz, parking division manager and project manager for the al fresco program, said staff created pre-approved design templates (parking-space patios, street corners, parkway/parking combinations, and simple tables-and-chairs options) to speed permitting. The city launched a one-time grant program through the Office of Innovation and Economic Development that awarded up to $20,000 per site; staff said $365,000 in grant awards were distributed to 20 businesses.

Fee schedule and inventory: The council adopted a monthly fee schedule in January 2023. Typical patios will be charged $100/month, oversized patios an additional $100/month, and a $150 per-parking-space cost-recovery charge applies when building in parking stalls. Tables-and-chairs patios are $25/month, and identified legacy permit-holders would be charged $25/month under a simplified process. Kranitz said staff have inventoried roughly 150 existing sidewalk-cafe patios in the central city and will extend a simplified legacy conversion outreach citywide; the city plans to begin billing in 2026.

Permitting and numbers: Chad Copeman, interim supervising engineer, explained that early pandemic-era temporary structures sometimes presented safety issues (roof over travel lanes, narrow clearances, obstructions to traffic-signal maintenance) and that the new cafe encroachment permit and online checklist will standardize structural, ADA and safety reviews. Staff reported 16 patios have completed construction under the new program, five are under construction and 21 applications are in plan review.

Public reaction: Downtown Partnership, property owners and business representatives testified in support; the Downtown Partnership and developers praised the program as an economic-development tool. SABA (Safe And Bicycle Alliance) and other commenters asked staff to shorten review timelines and simplify the legacy conversion path.

Ending: Staff said they will roll out a marketing campaign, continue outreach with PBIDs and business groups, offer pre-application meetings and work with county environmental health for food-service coordination. Staff emphasized the simplified legacy pathway for pre-existing patios and said inspections and administrative fees are cost-recovery only.