City Of New Orleans Welcomes More Parklets To City Streets, Waives Application Fees For Outdoor Dining Until March 31, 2021

New Orleans LA

21 December, 2020

2:03 AM

Description

Press release from the City of New Orleans: NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans' Parklet Pilot Program has been extended due to its success. One component of the City's Outdoor Dining initiative, the Parklet Pilot Program allows restaurants and bars to utilize on-street parking spaces in front of their restaurants and bars for additional seating. This provides additional safe dining spaces for restaurants and bars while the occupancy limits are reduced due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Outdoor Dining application fees for both Sidewalk Cafes and Parklets have been waived until March 31, 2021. "While we have light at the end of the tunnel, we know that our businesses in every corner of the city continue to struggle with COVID-related challenges. By creatively and safely utilizing public rights of way, the City's Parklet Pilot Program offers most businesses in New Orleans the opportunity to have access to crucial outdoor space for their operations. Parklets also create safe spaces for physical distancing, and activate our streets and communities. We hope and expect that parklets will not only be a lifeline during the pandemic, but a permanent feature of our City's streetscape. Mayor Cantrell and our partners are excited to see the groundswell of interest in the parklet program, and we will continue to find creative ways to support our business community," said Jeffrey Schwartz, Director, Office of Economic Development. Available to restaurants and bars citywide, more than two dozen businesses have applied to the Pilot program, and parklets are popping up around the city. Under the extended Pilot period, parklets will include the placement of tables and chairs into the parking lane in the roadway. A permanent parklet program is being developed to continue after the Pilot that will require ADA-compliant buildouts from the curb/sidewalk and will account for drainage and other design elements. The City will work to make the process from Pilot to permanent program as seamless as possible for participants. Pilot Parklets are required to provide a barrier along the active right of way. To aid in this expense, the City has acquired 200 barricades that can be provided to businesses on a first-come first-serve basis. These will be placed by the City in coordination with the applicant for the pilot period. The second round of Outdoor Dining grants — for parklets and curbside dining areas — began on Monday, Nov. 2. To stay up to date, visit outdoordiningnola.com. PILOT PARKLET PROGRAM OVERVIEW Restaurants and bars are eligible to apply for the permit during the pilot. Fees are waived during the pilot at least through March 31, 2021. Pilot will run for as long as there are COVID-related occupancy restrictions in restaurants and bars. The City can provide barricades on a first-come, first-served basis, after which businesses will need to supply their own approved barriers. Barriers will be an eligible expense under the upcoming round of Outdoor Dining grants. Outdoor Dining grants of up to $2,000 are available to interested businesses. How to apply: The City will be accepting applications through the City's One Stop Shop, and by email at [email protected]. Review the Pilot Program application requirements and a step-by-step overview of the process at the City's website here, and view a copy of the application here. This press release was produced by the City of New Orleans. The views expressed are the author's own.