MARTINEZ — In turning into the newest East Bay metropolis to make outside eating a everlasting downtown scene, Martinez would require eating places to pay $250 a yr for permits to maintain their parklets and patios up and operating on weekends.
The Metropolis Council on Wednesday unanimously accepted the brand new charge schedule to maintain a promenade-style nightlife that sprung up out of necessity because the pandemic compelled eating places and different companies to close down indoor operations.
Bay Space cities comparable to Oakland, San Jose, Mountain View and Walnut Creek even have completely closed streets for outside eating or are contemplating it; some cost charges to recoup the parking meter income they misplaced when patios and parklets had been allowed to exchange parking areas.
Different cities have taken the other tack in an try and return to the traditional lifestyle earlier than COVID-19 struck. Pleasanton, for instance, ordered eating places in January to tear out their parklets, tents and different road eating preparations.
Martinez metropolis officers say the $250 charge will cowl the price of reviewing allow purposes that enable eating places to do enterprise within the open air.
Eateries that don’t comply with a citywide 10 p.m. curfew or cease raucous diners from breaking the noise ordinance could get their permits pulled, forcing them to reapply and pay the charge once more.
“I’ve been downtown and I've seen some violations every so often, so I need to be certain that (the eating places) know there are particular parameters to this,” Vice Mayor Debbie McKillop stated. “They (have to) work in unison with not simply their fellow companies, but additionally their fellow residents who dwell in the neighborhood.”
By way of the allow program, elements of Essential Road shall be closed to automotive visitors from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekends. The brand new hours went into impact Friday, with the town launching a web-based utility that eating places can fill out whereas retaining their outside setups open within the interim.
Council members expressed concern about whether or not eating places may hold their patios open with out breaking some allow guidelines or stricter insurance policies enforced by the California Division of Alcoholic Beverage Management.
Metropolis Manger Eric Figueroa stated the town would yank permits from eating places that commit “gross violations” or ignore a number of warnings.
“I’m hoping we by no means get to that time, however definitely we have to have a profitable partnership between everybody within the downtown neighborhood – those that dwell there, those that go to there and do enterprise there, in addition to our retailers,” Figueroa stated.
Martinez officers envision that different eating places shall be enticed to think about establishing outside tables. There’s no cap on the variety of companies that may be accepted.
Figueroa stated his current go to of Mountain View — the place virtually all downtown eating places have some sort of outside patio and weekend nights resemble road festivals — confirmed him what Martinez may appear to be if the allow program thrives.
“Its an incredible scene when you will have that a lot vitality occurring outside,” he stated.