Victoria city council will debate next week the merits of redefining where eateries can build patios, after two neighbourhood pubs were told to close their patios on city boulevards by the end of May.
Mayor Marianne Alto plans to file a motion for council to consider at a Thursday meeting, directing staff to report back on the implications of expanding allowable patios on public spaces.
Fifth Street Bar and Grill in the Quadra-Hillside neighbourhood and Beagle Pub in Cook Street Village were told to close their patios as a result of a new patio bylaw adopted in March that precludes use of softscape boulevards for patios.
That represents a return to pre-pandemic rules, which had been suspended when the city introduced the Business Recovery from Pandemic Bylaw and related Build Back Victoria program, which permitted patios so businesses could meet pandemic-related social distancing requirements.
That program, which was extended twice before expiring at the end of March, was designed to help with economic recovery as the pandemic started to wane and restrictions were relaxed.
The program was popular, with at least 36 patios established around the city during the pandemic, most of them along sidewalks or in parking spaces in front of the businesses. Two were set up on boulevards.
With business getting back to normal, the city adopted the Patio Regulation Bylaw in March, with an eye to maintaining some of the vibrant patios and street life realized during the pandemic by allowing diverse patio options for businesses while protecting the integrity of public space and city assets.
The Patio Regulation Bylaw allows eligible businesses to apply for either simple temporary patios to be set up daily, or complex patios with semi-permanent structures. There are options for seasonal and annual licences.
The complex patios can be operated on sidewalks, in select plazas and parks, or on roadways, while simple patios are limited to sidewalks, plazas and select parks.
The bylaw also includes an inspection process to ensure safety and accessibility, but does not allow patios on softscape boulevards. According to city staff, the concern is that when patios are built on landscaping, they destroy it.
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