UPDATE: Patios extended year round at no cost to eateries

It may only be for the very hardy, but if you want to sip your winter coffee or brandy outdoors at a favourite bar or eatery, city council is making it possible.

Pop-up patios will be allowed in Vernon until the end of October 2021, after city council voted to continue the practice of allowing one parking space to be used by restaurants for additional seating.

There will be no fee or permit required. Businesses do have to enter into a use agreement and adhere to the COVID-19 temporary outdoor patios and retail public guidelines.

The city will lose about $3,500 dollars in permit fees.

Businesses with private parking can use up to 25 per cent of the space to add additional seating, something the Kal Hotel had set up this summer on its parking lot.

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The B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association and the B.C. Craft Brewers Guild had sent a letter to all municipalities in the province, lobbying to allow for the continuation of sidewalk patios as way of allowing more patrons, while adhering to provincial health guidelines.

—-City of Vernon News Release—–

The City of Vernon is extending temporary measures so businesses can activate outdoor spaces in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This summer, the City created a Temporary Outdoor Commercial Use program, allowing businesses to expand their operations into parking lots, sidewalks and parking stalls, so customers and staff could continue practicing physical distancing.

Now with the extension, businesses can continue using their parking lots, as well as sidewalks in the Downtown Business Improvement Areas, until October 31, 2021, within the guidelines of the program. Downtown businesses will also be able to use single on-street parking stalls to create pop-up patios or for retail uses during the warmer months, from March 1 to October 31, 2021.

Businesses with liquor licenses will be pre-approved to have their licenses extended into these temporary spaces until October 31, 2021.

“Through the Temporary Outdoor Commercial Use program, the City is helping our community maintain physical distancing,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “This program extension will also help businesses continue to adapt as we head into the colder months and plan ahead for spring and summer.”

For information on the guidelines and the process to implement these temporary measures, please visit the City’s website at vernon.ca/covid-19/ or contact buildingcounter@vernon.ca.