After furthering allowing temporary restaurant patios in Chatham-Kent for the rest of the year, the municipality is now moving to make it easier for food and drink establishments to build permanent patios as well.
The planning services department will bring forward a recommendation for council approval on Monday night that asks for the current bylaw regarding permanent outdoor patios to be amended.
Currently, business owners face constrictions when it comes to permanent patios and in several cases, the only option to construct a permanent patio is to use existing parking spaces. However according to the current outdoor patio by-law," the parking required for the outdoor patio shall be equal to that required for the main eating establishment use."
In hopes of providing some flexibility, administration is asking that the by-law be changed so that up to 15 per cent of the required and/or existing parking spaces for the main use may be used to construct an outdoor patio.
In June 2020, the Ontario government allowed for restaurants and bars to temporarily extend outdoor patio spaces to safely accommodate patrons and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after, Chatham-Kent council approved a number of recommendations and guidelines for temporary patios in the municipality.
In December, council approved the continuation of allowing temporary outdoor patios throughout 2021.
While working with businesses throughout the pandemic, municipal staff said they heard from multiple owners who expressed interest in constructing a permanent patio.
"Restaurant and bars are important businesses in Chatham-Kent. They play a role in job creation through small business start-ups, attraction of new entrepreneurs and expansion of existing businesses. The hospitality sector at-large is negative affected by continued COVID-19 related public health measures," staff said in its report. "To support the efforts of these businesses through the pandemic and beyond, the Municipality can use land-use planning tools such as zoning by-law amendments to support and revitalize these important businesses throughout Chatham-Kent."
If the by-law amendment is approved, the required number of accessible off-street parking spaces must still be provided.