San Mateo makes outdoor dining permanent

According to city staff, parallel parking allows up to two parklets. Angular parking in front of a storefront gets up to four. Permits also require setback requirements to protect diners against traffic and other options. The city requires the removal of structures that block sightlines to other businesses and for restaurant owners to keep their parklets on their store frontage. San Mateo officials want to ensure all newly built permanent structures will have adequate storm drainage, given the flooding issues along the sidewalks during the pandemic. There will be $500 fees per permit application for parklet installations plus $250 per parking space used in the parklet. According to the city, there are six parklet applications in review and two additional applications that will be submitted shortly.

The second is a sidewalk and pedestrian mall outdoor dining encroachment permit. It allows ground-level restaurants to provide outdoor seating options for commercial district areas on sidewalks, except El Camino Real, and the pedestrian mall on B Street between First and Third avenues. Pedestrian malls are streets with limited or no vehicle access to create safe street zones for pedestrians to walk. The city will charge a $371 annual fee for the sidewalk or pedestrian mall dining permit. The City Council passed a Sept. 20 resolution to establish a pedestrian mall on South B Street between First and Second avenues and Second and Third avenues, allowing more opportunities for permanent outdoor dining.

Businesses that use the sidewalk or the pedestrian mall areas under the temporary outdoor dining program must apply for a new permit to continue outside dining after April 30 and must make adjustments to their dining areas to meet city guidelines. The city is currently working to help educate businesses about all guidelines for submitting permits, as many don’t often understand the detailed requirements for a complete application for city review and approval.

The City Council allowed temporary outdoor dining downtown and in other commercial areas throughout the pandemic to help businesses that could not have people dine inside due to pandemic restrictions. The policy was a success, providing pedestrians with safer options to eat, helping struggling restaurants and improving the downtown atmosphere. Requests from restaurants and people who liked the downtown changes led to the council deciding to implement a permanent program.

The new program will also improve the pedestrian and cyclist experience downtown and reduce car traffic, a council priority. The council recently called for urban changes to downtown in its preliminary traffic circulation map in its general plan process. The circulation plan includes Barcelona-inspired superblocks that divert cut-through vehicle traffic to create a pedestrian-focused downtown and fewer cars.

The city is also examining offering its September Nights on B events series on the now-closed B Street between First and Third avenues. The public event offered music, dancing, kid’s activities and food in 2019 but stopped in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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