Palm Desert staff: outdoor dining deck program will expire June 30, 2026; council explores permanent district options

Carlos Flores, Development Services, told the Palm Desert City Council on March 26 that the city's temporary outdoor dining ("dining deck") program is set to expire on June 30, 2026, and staff will notify current operators and El Paseo businesses of removal deadlines.

"This program has had a lot of action over the past four to five years," Flores said, noting that the council last extended the program in November 2023 and that the current expiration date is June 30, 2026. He said staff will meet individually with operators, send formal letters and provide staff contacts to answer questions about removal and next steps.

Mayor Pro Tem asked whether staff are researching alternative legal structures to avoid repeatedly reauthorizing the program. Flores said staff are exploring options that could create a more permanent, district-style approach and emphasized the need to take a comprehensive streetscape view — including sidewalks and landscaping — before recommending changes.

Flores identified two operators with fully approved programs, Pizza Vino and Kitchen 86, and two restaurants undergoing final review, Little Bar and Armando's. He also said some prior operators'Daily Grill, The Fix and Sweet Basil'chose not to reapply: The Fix pursued a permanent on-site solution, Daily Grill discontinued its deck, and Sweet Basil's landlord did not approve its proposal.

Flores added that staff have told applicants that the existing guidelines will continue during the temporary period but that there is no guarantee the program will extend beyond June 30, 2026.

The council did not take a formal vote but discussed directing staff to pursue stakeholder outreach and research district-style legal options that could allow longer-term or permanent alfresco dining arrangements on the public right-of-way.