Created under the mayor’s emergency authority in May 2020, the program, called L.A. Al Fresco, allowed restaurants to expand outdoor dining onto sidewalks, parking lots and sections of city streets. New York City has already announced a timeframe for making its outdoor dining initiative, Open Restaurants, permanent. Garcetti said he wants to preserve the relaxed valet and offsite parking requirements that have freed up valuable curbside real estate for outdoor dining setups. The addition of outdoor dining continues to make his ramen restaurant, in particular, feel accessible, Kohyama said. “I personally for my business need parking, but I knew if these restaurants didn’t get some outdoor dining that they were going to die.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 08, 2021 03:11 UTC