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Palm Desert allows existing El Paseo dining decks through June 30, 2026; council to pursue permanent sidewalk/patio solution
Summary
After heated public comment from restaurant owners who had dismantled patios for street work, the council voted 4-1 to let existing outdoor dining decks be rebuilt and operate through June 30, 2026 while staff pursues a more permanent expanded-patio and diverted-sidewalk design and coordinates updated guidelines.
The Palm Desert City Council on Sept. 9 voted 4-1 to permit restaurants to rebuild outdoor dining decks removed for recent El Paseo construction and to operate under the existing temporary program through June 30, 2026, while staff develops a more permanent solution.
City planning staff recommended updated temporary outdoor-dining guidelines that would narrow where decks may extend into streets (disallowing decks on streets with speed limits above 50 mph such as portions of El Paseo) and favor temporary sidewalks that reroute pedestrians where restaurants do not leave five feet of pedestrian clearance. Planner Carlos Flores told the council the proposed changes aimed to improve safety, drainage, materials and aesthetics…
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