Restaurants in Nelson will be allowed to extend their patios for another year.
This reverses a decision made by city planning staff and approved by council in February.
At an April 11 council meeting, Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce executive director Tom Thomson said pandemic restrictions hit restaurants hard and many have not recovered.
“COVID continues among us,” he said, “and it could be for a long time.”
He told council the chamber recently met with restaurant owners and other businesses to gauge their opinion on patios.
“We knocked on a lot of doors,” Thomson said, adding that he found significant support for patios and patio extensions, despite their effect on parking.
But there may only be a few restaurants who extend their patios this year, he said.
Beginning in 2020, council allowed patio expansions into a second parking stall in front of a restaurant, or into a parking stall in front of an adjacent business if that business agreed. This was to compensate for the reduced capacity of restaurants due to indoor social distancing requirements. Patio fees were waived for 2020 and 2021 and brought back in 2022.
The extension of that process into 2023 is a temporary measure. During the 2023 season, the city will get feedback from businesses on a more permanent set of policies for patios that will come before council for a decision prior to the 2024 season. This will take the form of an amendment to the Sidewalk Cafe Bylaw, which regulates the design, operation, permitting of patios.
“We are very much in favour of moving this forward as a pilot project (for 2023),” Thomson said, “and then working collaboratively with (city planners) to come up with long-term solutions for the bylaw so we don’t have to (come back again).”
Materials prepared for council by city planners explained that typical sidewalk cafe fees bring in about $45,000 to the city annually and a few extensions this year could raise an additional $5,000 to $10,000. If an additional five parking stalls are used, this could reduce the city’s parking meter income by about $7,200.
Councillor Rik Logtenberg referred to the continuing flexibility as “patios over parking,” while stating that he fully supports expanded patios. He said he wants the new 2024 bylaw to disallow propane heating of outdoor patios because of the high greenhouse gas emissions.
READ MORE:
• Nelson returns to pre-pandemic patio policy
• B.C.’s pandemic patios need local approval to operate past June 1
• Nelson council waives fees for restaurant patios, shortens time frame
• Nelson council hears results of survey on patios and food trucks
bill.metcalfe@nelsonstar.com
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