A public hearing on a city proposal to extend permitting of streateries is among the items on the Edmonds City Council agenda for Tuesday, Dec. 7.
The council in December 2020 passed an ordinance that allowed the temporary streateries in on-street parking spaces, giving the public an outdoor dining option during COVID-19. That ordinance is set to sunset on Dec. 31, but development services staff is recommending that it be extended.
In other business, the council is also scheduled to hear a presentation on a compensation study for non-represented city employees, approve an interlocal agreement with the Snohomish Health District and review the city’s 2022 legislative agenda for the upcoming session of the Washington State Legislature.
The meeting will be held virtually at 7 p.m. using the Zoom meeting platform. To join, comment, view, or listen to the Edmonds City Council Meeting in its entirety, paste the following into a web browser using a computer or smart phone:
https://zoom.us/j/95798484261
Or join by phone: US: +1 253 215 8782 Webinar ID: 957 9848 4261
Those who want to provide audience comments using a computer or smart phone are instructed to raise a virtual hand to be recognized. Persons wishing to provide audience comments by dial-up phone are instructed to press *9 to raise a hand. When prompted, press *6 to unmute.
In addition to Zoom, regular council meetings beginning at 7 p.m. are streamed live on the Council Meeting webpage, Comcast channel 21, and Ziply channel 39.
I hope it is a productive meeting! I did not realize how many areas of Edmonds are filled with restaurants and cafes until the wood structures became the new normal. I was hoping that we all were on the way to being rid of covid-19.
Initially it seemed clever and made it possible to offer the city and community to adapt to limitations. The next step is to determine the concerns/complaints/approval of the other shop owners and the community.
“streateries” is essentially giving public land that belongs to the citizenry for the benefit of just a few “business owners”. In some cases, these business have almost doubled their seating area. The streets are owned, maintained, supported and funded by the people. Allowing “streateries” is no different than giving our parks to private companies to profiteer from- this is no less than a gift of public funds, which is illegal. It makes walking more difficult, and already tight parking is sacrificed, again, so just a hand full of businesses and profit. It’s time to sunset this mistake, if we don’t get rid of it now, we never will.
Thanks Bill! Your statements are valid and our government should not be playing favorites. What I would like to know is where are all the voices of those other businesses who are NOT profiting from streateries and in fact may have lost some business due to parking issues. If any of them read this, their voices matter. Please engage in this topic. At the bare minimum citizens should be recouping money as an exchange for use of streateries if they are extended. Your point about gifting this land even if illegal is par for the course of weekly violations of some in City government. Lets hope other decent council members will hear the pleas of the citizens to sunset these eyesores. Lastly, I wonder if the mayor will get preferential treatment by those restaurants and breweries the mayor is hoping to extend streateries for? Duh.
Exactly Bill. People who say parking isn’t an issue must not spend much time downtown Edmonds. The downtown area looks like a slum. I love it when I get stuck behind big delivery trucks for an extended period of time or when they are forced to take their lane out of the middle of the streets because of those shacks. NOT.
I agree with Bill!!!!! AWAY WITH THEM, It is time to “open up” parking so all other businesses can benefit too!
Covid is still around. I feel for the downtown non-restaurant businesses. But without the outdoor accommodations there wouldn’t be much reason to visit downtown Edmonds.