BARRHEAD-Town of Barrhead councillors wants to know whether or not the community's eateries are interested in having outdoor patios.
If they do, they might be able to help restaurants accommodate.
Councillors unanimously approved a motion by Coun. Dausen Kluin to approach the business community, starting with the Chamber of Commerce, to gauge their interest before deciding on a course of action.
Kluin asked for the topic of restaurant patios to be added to the council's April 13 meeting agenda.
He asked for the topic to be added because he was concerned how the province's decision to go back to Step 1 in its four-step plan to ease public health restrictions.
As part of the rollback, the province prohibited indoor dining starting April 9.
"A lot of restaurants depend on indoor dining, so I thought that if a restaurant wanted to, perhaps we could restaurants to have temporary outdoor patios," he said, suggesting it could be as simple as roping off an area in front of the restaurant. "If it is nice one evening, I don't see why a restaurant, if they social distance could set a few tables."
According to COVID-19 public health guidelines, for outdoor patios, tables and dining parties must be two metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.
Kluin also suggested that they might have to limit the hours a temporary patio could be set up as they would likely come at the expense of what at times is already limited parking in the downtown core.
Mayor Dave McKenzie said he had a preliminary discussion with a downtown business owner interested in building an outdoor patio.
"It would have taken up two or maybe three parking spaces," he said.
Unfortunately that as far the discussion went due to the pandemic.
He also suggested that more permanent patios might be a better option, at least on Main Street.
"It has a real crown on it ... I have sat on chairs on a 'make do' patio set up and it's not that comfortable," he said. "But I think our first step is to engage the restaurants to see if this is something they are interested in"
McKenzie said he is not sure if the restaurants would be interested in it, noting there are a lot of "moving parts" such as additional staffing costs.
"If there are some, then it is worth having the conversation," he said.
Coun. Rod Klumph asked if temporary patios "fit" with the town's Land-use Bylaw.
Legislative services and development director Cheryl Callihoo
"It does not. We would have to look at a variance in our [C1 commercial zoning] so that is something we would have to discuss first before proceeding," she said.
Coun. Don Smith said he liked the idea, adding that they needed to contact businesses ASAP as there was a limited window.
"It is an excellent option that would help them generate some extra revenue and it would add to the overall ambience of downtown Barrhead," he said. "For us to give up two or three parking stalls, so be it. I have driven around the block before looking for a parking spot and I would be willing to do it again, if it helped our businesses generate some revenue."
Coun. Ty Assaf agreed but said he was not sure how interested the businesses would be, noting the costs and logistics of setting up a patio regularly.
Instead, he suggested closing off select downtown streets and businesses could host an event similar to Street Fest, or last summer when the town closed a block for the Blue Heron Support Services Association to host a farmer's market.
"That is something restaurants might be more interested in."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
