Dallas Gives Approval For 'Street Seats' Pilot Program To Expand Outdoor Seating For Businesses
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas City Council has given the green light for the "Street Seats" pilot program and approved the parklet option for additional outdoor seating for businesses.
Victoria's Cafe in the Victory Park area of downtown is one of 17 businesses taking advantage of the new pilot program. The owner, Luciana Gomez, said the opportunity came at a great time.
"For us, it serves it's purpose. It's for people to stop by, grab their coffee and go. And particularly people who don't feel comfortable coming in, we can take the coffee to them," Gomez said.
Gomez uses the program as a drive-up option for her customers.
But the original plan was meant to give businesses the opportunity to use three curbside parking spaces as parklets in front of their establishments. This comes in handy as the city of Dallas is among those tightening restrictions on businesses by scaling back occupancy levels from 75% to 50%.
Rose Fleming, director of convention and event services for Dallas, believes this is a concept that could continue to gain traction just as it has on the west and east coasts. More importantly, it's been a business saver for some struggling during the pandemic.
"Even when things are back to whatever our new normal is and we're able to sit inside restaurants and they're able to have their full capacity, it still allows them to expand outside and still kind of increase the revenue," Fleming said.
The city council's approval extends the pilot program through April 30.
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