COUNCIL MEMBER’S MOTION - Flexible, Innovative & Expedited Patio Permitting

COUNCIL MEMBER’S MOTION - Flexible, Innovative & Expedited Patio Permitting

Submitted by:

Councillor Kirby-Yung

WHEREAS

1. The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted significant negative economic impacts with many Vancouver businesses including restaurants, tourism businesses, hotels, and personal-care services such as hair stylists, nail salons and dentists, forced to close or severely limit operations due to health and physical distancing restrictions;
2. Restaurants have been one of the most immediate and hardest hit sectors, and small business operators are struggling to survive with many limited to takeout offerings and attempting to make it through the pandemic;
3. Small businesses like restaurants are vital to the fabric and character of Vancouver neighbourhoods and support complete communities;
4. Small businesses like restaurants are key contributors to Vancouver’s economic health generating jobs and tax revenue;
5. The City has a key role to play in supporting economic recovery. Speed flexibility and nimbleness in permitting and business support services will be instrumental to helping businesses get back up and running and survive;
6. Patio season is a critical revenue generator for restaurants and upon us now. Expedited patio permitting must be turnkey when restaurants are able to reopen to table type service;
7. An outcome of Covid will likely be the need for some continued physical distancing processes in businesses. Customers will also be cautious about being in close quarters to others.
8. Patios provide the health benefit of fresh air and sunlight.
9. There is opportunity to be innovative and redefine patios such as pop-up standing patios for quick service type offerings, expanded size to enable physical distancing and more open-air dining, as well as utilization of street or laneway space for extensions where it doesn’t impede transit, emergency or service vehicles or traffic.
10. Currently, patio permitting can require a combination of licensing, development permits and permits to enable operations.

THEREFORE

A. BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to prepare options and report back as soon as possible to support more flexible patio types and sizes (including consideration for pre-detailed designs and formats), expedited permitting including applications and renewals, as well as the number of patios allowed, in order to support the economic recovery of Vancouver’s restaurant sector;

B. THAT such options be considered for the duration of the COVID-19 response and recovery, recognizing that innovation will provide for valuable learning towards operations and adaptation in a new, post-Covid world.

C. THAT this motion be shared with the Council Pandemic Response and Recovery Working Group for the purpose of enabling them to seek or share further information from the restaurant sector as may be beneficial to and aid this work.