Inspections set for the first two weeks of May

PARKLETS

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The city’s downtown parklets faced the same Dec. 1 deadline to meet stormwater runoff requirements. The last time the city inspected to check on their progress, they found that two parklets remained noncompliant.

The city set a Feb. 1 deadline to adhere to new design requirements. The last time staffers checked, they found eight parklets remained noncompliant for “more significant” issues. “We expect to see the minor issues resolved as businesses submit applications for license agreements (required by May 1).”

The major design changes to State Street facilities include painting the parklets to match the approved color palette (dark grays, browns, and black); removal of lighting from trees and over sidewalks; removal of visible advertising, signs, logos, etc.; and removal of turf grass, according to Sarah Clark, the city’s downtown plaza parking manager.

Only parklets along the Downtown Promenade have to comply with design requirements.

Ms. Salas said they will be dealt with shortly.

“We will be performing final inspections on these facilities at the same time as the Outdoor Business Facility License inspections, which are currently scheduled for the first two weeks of May,” she said.

“Any outdoor business facility on the State Street Promenade which is not in full compliance with all requirements (design, stormwater, ADA, fire lane) will not receive a license and will be required to remove the outdoor business facility.”

Currently there are 92 parklets throughout the city. Once the eight parklets are removed, there will be 84.

At this point, no additional facilities have been removed by city direction, Ms. Salas said.

“I am not aware of any facilities that have been removed recently by businesses at their own choosing as we are not typically informed by businesses when they choose to remove their facility,” she said.

Staffers are now in the process of reviewing applications submitted for Outdoor Business Facility licenses.

“The next steps in the process may vary depending on direction from the City Council regarding license fees,” she said.

The city adopted a variable rate structure in January where fees would be determined by the amount of space taken up by a parklet, and the extent of improvements made by the restaurants, such as making them portable or installing a platform or roof.

At the council’s April 11 meeting, a majority of council members agreed to revisit the issue after several restaurant owners complained the fees were still too high.

They gave staff two weeks to return to them with new recommendations. The matter will appear on the council’s April 25 agenda.

“As it currently stands, we will conduct an onsite inspection of each facility to confirm compliance with all requirements and verify that the facility matches the specs as submitted with the application,” Ms. Salas said.

“These inspections are currently scheduled to occur the first two weeks of May,” she said. “License agreements will be signed with all facilities with approved applications.” email: nhartsteinnewspress@gmail.com

When the outdoor parklets were first allowed, they were considered vital in helping restaurants on lower State Street survive during the COVID-19 pandemic when indoor dining was prohibited.

But along the way, the outdoor dining facilities have drawn more and more flack from critics.