Edhat Staff
By the edhat staff
The Santa Barbara City Council approved $2 fees per square foot for outdoor dining parklets in the downtown area.
During Tuesday’s meeting the Council voted 5-2 to approve the less costly option as rates up to $10 per square foot had previously been discussed.
The monthly fees will kick in on May 1 for all temporary outdoor business facilities within the State Street Promenade, from 1300 to 400 blocks of State Street.
Councilmember Eric Friedman abstained from the vote with concerns over reduced revenue impacting underfunded city departments and Mayor Randy Rowse voted no stating its unfair to businesses in other areas.
In January, the City of Santa Barbara announced the approval of structure fees for restaurants and vendors using parklets on State Street. The rates were dependent on structure types, whether there was a platform or roof and how portable the parklet is. Rates varied from $3 to $10 per square foot.
The fees will go towards the city’s cost of cleaning and maintaining the Downtown Promenade which is projected to cost $675,000 for the 2024 fiscal year.
Santa Barbara City staff reported it has received 37 parklet license applications and expect at least ten more to apply in coming weeks.
Outdoor dining (courtesy photo)
Open state St. back up. As much as I like eating at joe’s for breakfast and watching the bum zombies come to life, I’d say it’s over open the street back to normal.
Here is a better report on what they did: https://www.noozhawk.com/santabarbara-council-approves-lower-outdoor-dining-fee-statestreet-restaurant/ Rowse is absolutely right on this one, both as to the issue and the shenanigans that were used. The others sold out with the exception of Friedman who wimped out. Especially the proposal to use money we voted for streets and infrastructure to pay for the cleanup of the litter and vermin this perpetuates.
I agree — Friedman should’ve voted no with Rowse.
What a crap show, to renege on their previous decision during a council meeting.
Some of the monetary thinking by the council included recognizing the increase in sales tax revenue from the thousands of folks, and lots of tourists who also pay bed taxes. So many people enjoy the ability to take advantage of the Santa Barbara street ambiance that the city has another boost in revenue. The parklet owners keep their own parklets clean. The remaining extra cleaning (they needed to clean the sidewalks anyhow) includes power washing the chalk designs that children apply to the street. Friedman probably realized that the higher rates were effectively a vote against parklets as a feature of the street. I’m sure his constituents have let him know how much they enjoy the outdoor dining and walking. One can look around and say with confidence that State Street has several times the number of people enjoying being there than there were in 2019.
Brucec, what you are saying is that the equity of a situation comes down to the bottom dollar. Commerce is the most important. The rest of the community that can’t offer “bucks” to the powers that be can be ignored. Most of us recognize that this vote is a gift to the people who support politicians, not a vote for rational thought. (Go read “Babbitt” to find out how long this corruption has twisted American political discourse.)
It’s more rational than charging them an amount that would close them down, while claiming to support them.
If charging them $3-5 per square foot for parklet space, which is all additional seating beyond their original restaurant, forces their business to close they don’t have a sound business to begin with.
Once again, the average citizen has lost. Our streets, our sidewalks are slowly being taken from us. We still get to pay for them, but now special interests obtain control over them by contracting their use.
$2 p foot? that really doesn’t seem like a feasible amount for them to take over the side walks and build onto public right of way. I’m with Randy on this one (wow…).
Unclear if the $2/sf fee is annual or monthly. Can someone clarify?
I like state street without cars but it lacks cohesion or charm. How long will that take? No need for car traffic in a street without parking.
I don’t even go downtown anymore – simply do not enjoy it.
Why again, are the taxpayers subsidizing this ?
Another attempt to kill our city. I was listening to comments from people from the latest ship about how disappointed they were with Santa Barbara, empty stores, Homeless everywhere and unfriendly locals.
“unfriendly locals”
Are you offering to move?
I agree with @9:18. Restaurants/bars rule State Street and what they say goes. Retailers must simply deal with it or leave.
The promenade only benefits restaurants, what retail we do have will continue to suffer and lead to more vacancies.
State Street may be great for tourists but it’s impractical for locals who’d like to buy something other than a meal, drink or t-shirt. Our dollars for everything else are ending up in Goleta. I know Rowse supports the “tourist economy” but did he and the council have to completely sell out the folks who live and work here?
City should restrict dining to sidewalks with coordinated tables, chairs and umbrellas. The structures served a purpose in the past but they need to go. From an architectural view, they make down town look like a dumpster…downtown once was an attractive site.
To be fair, the city should have auctioned off the street space for any retail or hospitality use. Restaurant operators could bid on the space in front of their storefronts, but so could other businesses, such as adjacent retail shops and retail carts like those in shopping malls. The bidding process would provide a way to determine the market value of the public space. I suspect it would bring in more revenue to the city while making the process more equitable.
Um…I really like this idea. I wish I’d thought of it. I’d more though of making the state more “permanent” – instead of letting the restaurants have the space, put out more public spots for anyone to sit at. But then that would probably require more maintenance? Hm…