Palm Desert allows existing El Paseo dining decks through June 30, 2026; council to pursue permanent sidewalk/patio solution

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 and to mirror design standards used in other downtown areas.

Restaurateurs and property owners testified that the proposed changes arrived with insufficient notice after many businesses had dismantled and stored patio structures in reliance on prior communications and a rebuilt timetable tied to the street project. Sally Hill, owner of Sweet Basil, said she had dismantled a $27,000 patio cover and paid $1,500 for storage based on staff's earlier guidance and asked the council to honor the prior timeline to allow one more season of operation. David Fletcher, an El Paseo property owner and El Paseo Merchant Association board member, urged the council to adopt the expanded-patio model with a permanent sidewalk diversion and said property owners were unlikely to invest in expensive, high-quality structures without certainty.

Council members discussed competing aims: the mayor and several council members cited street appearance and pedestrian safety as reasons to adopt stricter guidance, while others emphasized business certainty and the economic value of outdoor dining. Mayor Pro Tem Truby and Council Member Prentero supported giving businesses the season of certainty they expected; Council Member Quintanilla and others emphasized immediate work toward a long-term, safer design.

The motion that passed allows restaurants that had previously operated decks to rebuild them for the upcoming season and operate through June 30, 2026. Staff will immediately work with a council subcommittee, merchants and property owners to draft a permanent design for El Paseo that prioritizes safety, pedestrian flow and consistent aesthetics; staff also noted potential state changes (Assembly Bill 592 / ABC provisions) that could affect alcohol service in public rights-of-way and said any permanent solution must factor state law.

Council guidance emphasized: (1) the temporary extension is limited to June 30, 2026; (2) staff will pursue a permanent expanded-patio-plus-diverted-sidewalk model; (3) staff will update guidance and the city website and notify potential applicants; and (4) any permanent change will be subject to state law on alcohol and rights-of-way. The council vote was 4-1.