Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
May 19, 2020 - 4:19 PM
The City of Penticton is looking at ways to make it easier for restaurants to use sidewalk and patio space in order to assist a return to business following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Staff put forward four recommendations to promote economic recovery from the pandemic to members of council this afternoon, May 19. Among those recommendations was a proposal to waive fees for sidewalk and storefront use permits in additions to relaxing the City’s design standards for outdoor seating for 2020.
Economic development specialist Andrew Kemp said the there would be increasing demand for sidewalk space by restaurants in order to maintain social distancing and provide enough seating space for the business to remain viable.
Other recommendations coming out of the economic recovery task force included:
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Continue looking for ways to promote safety and security throughout the city through support of bylaw and RCMP
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Support the security of the industrial park through a crime prevention campaign by shifting the economic development work plan and budget towards a strategy to make the industrial park less susceptible to crime.
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Support recovery efforts through the Love Local Penticton campaign by utilizing economic and communication department resources to tell stories of and create a record of Penticton’s resilience through the pandemic. The $15,000 budget would come out of the existing economic development budget.
Council voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations, although Councillor Jake Kimberley cautioned staff against letting design standards for patios slip too much.
Staff will be back before council at a later date with a report proposing amended policies to allow for more seating.
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