Ordinance to expand restaurant seating approved by Columbia City Council
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Monday night, the Columbia City Council unanimously approved an ordinance expanding seating for area restaurants.
The restaurants can now apply for a 90-day permit to set up seating in parking stalls outside of the eateries.
Initially, the permit was slated to end after 20 days. Columbia Ward 1 Councilwoman Pat Fowler motioned to have the timeline extended saying businesses would not see as much benefit from just 20 days of additional seating.
Downtown Leadership Council Chair Scott Wilson sent a letter to the council asking for the ordinance to be approved and to reconsider the 20-day sunset.
"Given that the pandemic has taken a devastating toll on most restaurants, we believe the city should provide them as much relief and leeway as possible, as quickly as possible," Wilson said in the letter.
Similar ordinances were approved in St. Louis and Kansas City in 2020 to combat restaurants losing money because of the pandemic.
Last month, the Columbia/Boone County health department removed occupancy limits for restaurants and bars from the COVID-19 health order. The businesses have also been allowed to resume normal hours. The current health order is in effect until May 12 at 11:59 a.m.
Restaurants applying for the use permit must meet several requirements and pay fees to keep the outside seating.
According to the ordinance, the eateries cannot create a safety hazard, as determined by the Columbia Public Works director, cannot obstruct police, fire or health department work, and cannot interfere with neighboring businesses.
The permit application must be submitted at least 21 days before restaurants plan to start serving outside. The ordinance says no permits will be approved in areas where the speed limit is faster than 20 mph or less than 19 feet from the face of a curb, marked lane, or centerline of a street.
Applications also require drawings showing how the space will be used.
The application costs $25 to submit and if approved businesses will have to pay more fees. Restaurants have to pay $10 a day for parking meters blocked off by the outdoor dining area, a memo from Columbia City Manager John Glascock said.
Glascock's memo said the ordinance would not have any short-term or long-term impacts on the city.
Approved businesses are not required to pay fees for the closure of sidewalks and streets, the ordinance said.
If restaurants are approved, they are also required to set up barricades around the seating area. The seating must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and businesses have to obtain commercial general liability insurance with coverage of at least $3 million.
