With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Al Fresco Dining In Los Angeles Is Now One Step Closer To Becoming Permanent
A wait staff employee takes customers' orders in the outdoor seating area of a restaurant in Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2021.
(
Valerie Macon
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission met Thursday and unanimously approved a proposal that would permanently extend a temporary ordinance that eased restrictions on outdoor dining during the pandemic.
The backstory
The temporary ordinance allowed restaurants to transform outdoor spaces, including sidewalks, parking lots, and converted parking spaces known as parklets, into open-air dining spaces.
When the city expanded al fresco dining during the height of the pandemic they issued guidance on where dining tables and chairs were allowed. Now L.A. Mayor Karen Bass says she's like to see the program continue.
(
Courtesy City of L.A.
)
Sponsored message
With indoor dining largely prohibited during the pandemic and restaurants struggling to survive on takeout orders, the temporary measure brought back customers for in-person, al fresco meals and provided a crucial opportunity for restaurants to keep on employees and to keep their doors open.
With the ordinance set to expire on May 11, many restaurant owners feared they could lose the popular al fresco option if the city returned to highly restrictive pre-pandemic regulations, which included cutting through complex red tape and paying high fees. Some said the move could force them out of business.
Mayor Bass offers support for al fresco dining
Under pressure from both restaurateurs and diners, Mayor Karen Bass proposed a new Al Fresco Ordinance that would ease zoning restrictions and amend the approval process for restaurants to establish or keep their existing outdoor dining areas.
Applications for outdoor dining would no longer require approval from the planning commission and instead go straight to the building and safety committees. The fees associated with serving alcohol outdoors would be cut. There would also be unlimited access to parking spaces converted for parklet use.
During the session, the planning commission heard from city officials such as city planners, and engineers as well as restaurant owners, members of the public, neighborhood councils and advocacy groups.
Sponsored message
The ordinance passed with changes to curfew times, new rules about ambient music and guidance about structures.
The city council will now vote on the ordinance in the next few weeks.
Updated April 27, 2023 at 1:17 PM PDT
This story was updated with news the proposal passed the committe.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
