Salinas extends Covid-19 outdoor business permits, and will set up a program to boost outdoor dining.

When the pandemic started, restaurants, bars, gyms and many other businesses faced sudden shutdowns or very restricted indoor operations policies. For the restaurant industry, it was takeout only until creative outdoor seating options with parklets, tents and sidewalk tables began popping up all throughout Monterey County.

While some cities are still debating whether and how to extend outdoor seating options amid a surge of the omicron variant, Salinas is embracing outdoor seating.

On Dec. 14, the Salinas City Council approved extending the city’s Covid fast-track sidewalk and cafe encroachment permits, which allow uses in the public right of way, and temporary use-of-land permits on private property, such as parking lots. These permits were set to expire on Dec. 31, but both were extended for one more year. The extension will only apply to existing permits.

Since spring of 2020, city officials issued 73 temporary land use permits for different types of businesses – including barber shops, gyms, restaurants and shopping centers – plus eight cafe encroachment permits. Over that period, they waived over $26,000 in permitting fees.

While those permits are now extended, city officials are looking to work with businesses to bring them in line with additional city regulations. This includes operating on adequately wide sidewalks, streets with speed limits under 35mph and having uniform, sturdy furniture – requirements that were also waived in the early days of the pandemic.

“We did not require the businesses to be fully compliant with our normal city permitting processes in terms of design and standards,” says Lisa Brinton, planning manager for Salinas. Compliance is a requirement if they want to continue operating outdoors past 2022.

Beyond those 73 existing permits, operators of restaurants and bars can apply for sidewalk cafe encroachment permits, which require a $320 application fee.

Adilenny Alvarez, manager and co-owner of the restaurant Villa Azteca, says outdoor dining has remained popular. “A lot of people actually really enjoy eating outside,” she says.

Despite the city having an outdoor seating permit program for several years, there are fewer than five active pre-pandemic permits. With the fast-tracked pandemic permitting system now behind them, and a revamped downtown streetscape, city officials are hoping to see more outdoor business happening going forward.

“Visual enhancements to the downtown have truly drawn traffic,” says City Councilmember Steve McShane.

To encourage more outside dining, the city will create a grant or loan program within the next six months to aid businesses, such as bars and restaurants, that want to expand outdoors. Funds could be used to improve sidewalk areas or buy furniture. At Villa Azteca, Alvarez says they have invested about $20,000 in their outdoor space.

One of the biggest challenges is sidewalk width; sidewalks need to be at least 4 feet wide to comply with the American Disabilities Act. Officials are looking at options to incorporate in the Alisal Vibrancy Plan such as wider sidewalks, parklets, food truck pods or a dining plaza.