PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It’s not exactly outdoor dining season, but by the time the weather is more cooperative, a City Council member hopes to see a lot more sidewalk cafes operating throughout the city.
Councilmember Rue Landau sponsored a bill to cut red tape around sidewalk seating by automatically allowing it in wide swaths of West, Southwest and South Philly and the lower Northeast. Restaurants will still have to get permits but they won’t have to go to the registered community organizations with architectural drawings or to Council for encroachment ordinances and committee hearings.
“It currently takes 18-27 months to get a couple of tables and chairs outside of your establishment,” said Landau, “so creating more areas that can put out sidewalk seating by right will certainly cut down that time.”
Landau said more dining options should make the city more welcoming to an influx of tourists expected next year. Zak Pyzik, of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said that’s just one of the benefits.
“Outdoor dining remains one of the most effective tools for supporting small business, creating vibrant neighborhoods [and] shaping how residents and visitors experience our city,” she said.
Nicholas Ducos, owner of Mural City Cellars in Fishtown, said he just wants to be able to accommodate more customers. “For the last year, we’ve been trying to get a sidewalk permit to legally place four picnic tables on a 14 foot sidewalk," he said.
“We have worked across L&I, Streets Department, two neighborhood association votes, RCO, City Council approval for encroachment ordinance. We’ve been directed to engage an architect that has cost us upwards of $1500, encountered dead links on the city website and we’ve also been requested to provide paperwork via a CD-ROM.”
Council sent the bill to Mayor Cherelle Parker last week. It will go into effect immediately once it’s signed into law.