City To Provide Added Funds For On-Street Dining

The Finance Committee unanimously agreed to move a recommendation to use $275,000 to the city’s On-Street Dining Program and the parklet’s program to the City Council.

“We have to do everything to help these businesses that have been impacted,” committee member Margaret McAustin said.

At least nine restaurants in Old Pasadena and five in the Playhouse District opened new dining areas on sidewalks, streets and alleys earlier this month.

New configurations were placed on Colorado Boulevard between Madison Avenue to El Molino Avenue; Colorado Boulevard between Fair Oaks Avenue to Raymond Avenue; and on Union Street west of Raymond Avenue.

“The measures taken to protect public health have resulted in businesses having to significantly scale back their services or cease operating completely,” the report reads. “The recent rollback of reopening measures directly affects sit-down indoor dining at local restaurants and dining establishments. This prolonged economic impact has prompted the city to develop several local business support programs and accelerate action specifically for an on-street dining and parklet program.”

Several restaurant owners told Pasadena Now that they had their most successful nights since pandemic shut-down orders were issued in April, though with limited capacities.

The money will be appropriated from several city funds, including $100,000 from the city’s Off Street Parking Fund, $100,000 from the Old Pasadena Parking Meter Fund and $75,000 from the general fund.

Implementation of the on-street dining program is estimated to cost $200,000. For each street segment with a partial closure there are costs associated with restriping travel lanes, restriping for diagonal parking, rental and installation of barricades, and rental of Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant ramps. The amount requested is expected to provide funds to close nine street segments in the Playhouse Village and Old Pasadena districts.