Outdoor dining on San Diego streets is here to stay, reports the Times of San Diego.
On Tuesday, October 26, the San Diego City Council has approved the "Spaces as Places" program which will permanently allow outdoor dining and other amenities in spaces that were thought of as temporary under previous COVID-19 restrictions.
According to the Times, the council's vote was 6-2 in favor of the program.
The city says Spaces as Places allows for outdoor areas for dining, walking, biking, and other activities, and also provides ways for temporary outdoor structures to become permanent installations.
Mayor Todd Gloria, who proposed a permanent outdoor dining program, said he was proud that the City Council approved Spaces as Places.
“Spaces as Places also allows for whole-street closures to create promenades and will ensure long-term options that are safe, equitable, and accessible for all San Diegans,” Gloria said.
Mayor Gloria's office also added that the program targets businesses in traditionally underserved communities to ensure investments in outdoor dining, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements are equitably distributed across the city.
The Spaces as Places program will take effect for business owners 30 days after the City Council's second reading of the ordinance, expected to take place in November.