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Brentwood City Commission Agenda

Meeting Date:	10/12/2020
Resolution 2020-105 - Authorizing Administrative Approval of Limited Outside Seating at Restaurants Until January 1, 2021
Submitted by:	Jeff Dobson, Planning & Codes
Department:	Planning & Codes

Information

Subject

Resolution 2020-105 - authorizing administrative approval of limited outside seating at restaurants until January 1, 2021.

Background

At their regular meeting of September 28, 2020, the Board of Commissioners discussed the feasibility of allowing limited outdoor dining areas on a temporary basis on sidewalk areas in front of restaurants. The Board was concerned about the ongoing issues related to operating a business during the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed concern that operators of all restaurants continue to experience hardships as they struggle to make payroll and generate sufficient revenue. The Board directed staff to draft a resolution for presentation at their regular meeting of October 12 further detailing the proposal. The allowance would remain valid until January 1, 2021, but could be extended by the Board in the future considering the circumstances at the time.

Limited outdoor dining proposals would be evaluated by staff using a set of criteria that could be applied to ensure compliance with applicable ADA requirements and the safety of those using the outdoor dining areas. Adequate area must also be provided for patrons of adjacent businesses to pass the dining areas without having to step into adjacent parking spaces or accessways. The outdoor dining areas could be set up directly outside each restaurant space. In multi-tenant buildings, tables/chairs would not be permitted to "spill over" in front of the adjacent space. It is envisioned that a limited number of tables/chairs would be proposed at any specific location, and include three to five tables maximum. No staff review fee would be required. However, it would be necessary that staff conduct a site visit to determine the suitability of each request. Each proposal would be reviewed in consideration of its individual site characteristics and constraints. Requests that propose outdoor dining areas in required parking areas would not be permitted.

Please note that the provision would not be extended to existing restaurants that already have planning commission approved outdoor dining areas or seek to expand the number of tables/chairs they already have.

Generally, requests to add outdoor dining areas in front of or adjacent to restaurant spaces are submitted for staff review and approval by the Planning Commission as revisions to site plans. There are several restaurants that offer outdoor dining areas around town. However, these approvals will be temporary in nature and will not affect the building or site itself. Each restaurant would be responsible for properly cleaning the tables and maintaining the outside area in a safe and sanitary manner.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Planning and Codes Director.

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Resolution 2020-105.

Previous Commission Action

There has been no previous action by the Board of Commissioner concerning this subject.

Fiscal Impact

Attachments
Resolution 2020-105
Signed Resolution