PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) \u2014 It\u2019s not exactly outdoor dining season, but by the time the weather is more cooperative, a City Council member hopes to see a lot more sidewalk cafes operating throughout the city.<\/p>\n
Councilmember Rue Landau sponsored a bill to cut red tape around sidewalk seating by automatically allowing it in wide swaths of West, Southwest and South Philly and the lower Northeast. Restaurants will still have to get permits but they won\u2019t have to go to the registered community organizations with architectural drawings or to Council for encroachment ordinances and committee hearings.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt currently takes 18-27 months to get a couple of tables and chairs outside of your establishment,\u201d said Landau, \u201cso creating more areas that can put out sidewalk seating by right will certainly cut down that time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Landau said more dining options should make the city more welcoming to an influx of tourists expected next year. Zak Pyzik, of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said that\u2019s just one of the benefits.<\/p>\n
\u201cOutdoor dining remains one of the most effective tools for supporting small business, creating vibrant neighborhoods [and] shaping how residents and visitors experience our city,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Nicholas Ducos, owner of Mural City Cellars in Fishtown, said he just wants to be able to accommodate more customers. \u201cFor the last year, we\u2019ve been trying to get a sidewalk permit to legally place four picnic tables on a 14 foot sidewalk,” he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have worked across L&I, Streets Department, two neighborhood association votes, RCO, City Council approval for encroachment ordinance. We\u2019ve been directed to engage an architect that has cost us upwards of $1500, encountered dead links on the city website and we\u2019ve also been requested to provide paperwork via a CD-ROM.\u201d<\/p>\n
Council sent the bill to Mayor Cherelle Parker last week. It will go into effect immediately once it\u2019s signed into law.<\/p>\n
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