City supports Commercial Streets program

Published on June 18, 2020

June 18, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
   510-747-4714

City supports outdoor dining and retail with new Commercial Streets program

Starting tomorrow, Friday, June 19, many Alameda businesses and restaurants will be allowed to follow Alameda County Public Health Department guidelines and re-open further. In response, the City is launching its multi-pronged Commercial Streets program, approved by the City Council at their May 19 meeting with the strong support of Alameda’s major business associations. The Commercial Streets program streamlines the permit approval process for expanding dining and retail to parklets (using parking spaces) and sidewalks. In the coming weeks, the program will repurpose the roadway along core parts of Park and Webster Streets to greatly increase the area available for outdoor dining and retail. City staff have worked closely and expeditiously with the Downtown Area Business Association (DABA) and the West Alameda Business Association (WABA) to develop this new program, which will support the health of our businesses and the community.

Parklets & Sidewalk Usage:

As of Friday, June 19:

  • Businesses within the Park and Webster Street Business Improvement Areas may:
    • Set up outdoor dining and retail along the sidewalks per the approved Business Improvement Area (BIA) encroachment permit. No plans or permits are required. A minimum of eight feet of clear space must be maintained along Park and Webster Streets, and six feet on the side streets. Detailed parameters can be found on the City’s Commercial Streets webpage.
    • Apply to install parklets via a streamlined and expedited permit process, to use parking spaces for outdoor dining, retail, or other commercial uses.
  • Businesses within all other commercial districts in Alameda may apply for the following, via a streamlined and expedited permit process:
    • Sidewalk Usage encroachment permit for outdoor dining and/or retail along the sidewalk. A minimum of six feet of clear space must be maintained.
    • Apply for a parklet permit to use a parking space for outdoor dining, retail, or other commercial uses.

The permit forms, conditions and guidance can be found here.

Use of Private Parking & Outdoor Space:

As of Tuesday, June 23, pending approval of a Citywide Use Permit by the Planning Board on June 22, all businesses Citywide will be allowed to use their privately-owned outdoor (un-enclosed open air) space and parking lots for outdoor dining, retail, and commercial uses, with some restrictions, such as maintaining all ADA parking spaces and access. No additional plans or permits are required. The draft parameters for this usage are posted here, and the approved use permit conditions will be posted June 23.

Park & Webster Streets Repurposing:

At the direct request of DABA and WABA, the City is preparing to reconfigure the core areas of Park and Webster Streets to “expand” the sidewalk by converting the existing parking lane into space for outdoor dining, retail, and the lining up of customers. The goal is to create enough space to allow for both a wide safe passage for people walking and shopping along these commercial corridors and for businesses to move some of their operations outdoors, given the County Health Order limitations on indoor business. The parking lanes will be moved into the nearest travel lane, narrowing core segments of these two streets to one lane in each direction. The timeframe for the street restriping and repurposing is:

  • Park Street from Santa Clara to Encinal Avenues will be completed in early- to mid-July.
  • A second, more northern section, of Park Street and a section of Webster Street will be completed in mid- to late-July.

This reconfiguration will be monitored and evaluated, and then modified, as needed, and is expected to remain through early November. All bus stops will remain in place. A community survey will be posted on the Commercial Streets page shortly to gather input on these changes.

Curbside Pick-up Parking: Businesses that would like to have existing on-street parking converted to curbside pick-up or short-term parking can make this request by completing the form on the Commercial Streets web page. The City will review requests as they are submitted and make these changes, as feasible.

As shopping and outdoor dining increases in Alameda, the City encourages everyone to continue to be vigilant and following the County Health Orders for wearing masks and maintaining at least six feet of physical distancing.

Click here for more information and to access the permit forms and guidance.

Click here for more information for Alameda businesses planning to re-open.

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