The Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved two measures to expand outdoor dining and curb reservation resale in a move to boost the hospitality industry ahead of the city’s anticipated surge in visitation next year for the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The reforms expand by-right sidewalk cafes, reducing the need for separate zoning or City Council approval and designating zones across all 10 districts to host outdoor dining.
According to a PhillyVoice report, rules on operating hours were clarified, with outdoor dining not allowed between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It also notes that restaurant owners can place cafes on sidewalks that touch adjacent properties with the other property owner’s consent, provided the sidewalk remains clear for pedestrians.
Under the previous rules, only “by-right” businesses in Center City and a limited number of other locations could operate sidewalk cafes without a special zoning ordinance. City Councilmember Rue Landau, who authored the legislation, said that process could take up to two years.
Now that the ordinance requirement has been eliminated, restaurants in Manayunk, along Point Breeze Avenue in South Philadelphia, and throughout West Philadelphia’s Third District can add outdoor seating more easily.
In addition, 6abc reported that city leaders approved a measure targeting reservation scalping. This practice involves third-party sites allowing people to book restaurant reservations and later resell them at higher prices.
Ben Fileccia, the senior vice president of strategy and engagement at the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said the city’s restaurant industry supported legislation to address scalping.
“We didn’t think it was fair that the restaurants didn’t know what was going on, and we’re not saying that this has to be banned entirely, but we are saying if you want to sell a reservation for a restaurant, you have to have that restaurant’s permission to do so,” he told 6abc.
Both bills are headed to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s desk and will take effect once signed into law.