Rachel Davis, Communications Director/Press Secretary, Office of Mayor Liccardo, 408.712.9149, rachel.davis@sanjoseca.gov
SAN JOSÉ, CA -- Last night, San José City Council unanimously passed the continuation of San José Al Fresco, the successful outdoor dining activation program proposed by Mayor Liccardo and Councilmember Dev Davis in May 2020, during the pandemic, to offer relief to struggling businesses.
“San Jose Al fresco was a critical lifeline for many of our small businesses during the pandemic,” said San José Mayor Sam Liccardo. “San José restaurateurs and merchants are the backbone of our community and we must continue to help them on the road to economic recovery–while maintaining safe spaces for residents to socialize outdoors.”
The extension allows the continued closure of city streets, such as San Pedro Square, for use by diners and shoppers through June 30, 2022. Parking lots and private property utilized under the program for similar outdoor uses will continue to be allowed for an additional year to December 2022. In both cases, longer closures will be considered at those times.
This action builds on Council’s recent allocation of $150,000 of American Rescue Plan funds to cover traffic safety barrier equipment rentals and lost meter revenue for existing Al Fresco parklets. This is in addition to the prior allocation of $700,000 approved in the 2021-2022 operating budget which covered businesses’ transition costs to more permanent parklet installations.
During the initial Al Fresco program, which streamlined the permitting process for outdoor dining and commerce, 131 businesses self-registered to conduct their operations on private property, 35 businesses received a permit for operations in a parklet on public sidewalks and private land, and 12 businesses received permits for operations on closed city streets. 17 permits were issued for Al Fresco business operations in parks.
To assist with the transition to a longer-term presence of Al Fresco-related spaces for businesses, San José is working with the Knight Foundation on a grant agreement for $200,000 that would help produce a template design for parklets to ease the permitting process. Costs covered by the grant include staff facilitation, technical expert consultant review of the designs, and translation services.
Businesses seeking to pursue an Al Fresco parklet can contact City economic development staff at covid19sjbusiness@sanjoseca.gov for assistance.
About the City of San José
With more than one million residents, San José comprises the 10th largest city in the United States, and one of its most diverse cities. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.
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