MOTION -- The COVID-19 Emergency has slowed, stopped, and in some cases caused permanent closure of many local small businesses, harming people's lives, our communities, and the economy. The impact has been especially severe on independent dine-in restaurants. On May 29, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation launched the LA A1 Fresco Program to support outdoor dining opportunities for restaurants who have been hit hard by the COVID-19crisis, in coordination with the L.A. County Department of Public Health guidelines. Through the LAA1 Fresco program, eligible businesses have been able to provide outdoor seating on sidewalks, private parking lots, street parking spaces ("parklets"), and in street lanes through safe partial street closures. The program has been immensely popular for businesses and patrons alike. It has had over 2,000 applications so far and that list is still growing.
Unfortunately, the popularity of the LA A1 Fresco program has led to the exhaustion of available funding in the Department of Transportation. The lack of sufficient funding to respond to the current and growing number of applications means that this program will not be able to achieve its potential in boosting the City's economic recovery.
WE THEREFORE MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the CAO to allocate CARES Act funds totaling$2,000,000.00 to the continuation, support, and expansion of the LA A1 Fresco Program.
WE FURTHER MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to take the following actions:
1) Make any necessary changes to the program to improve its efficiency and maximize the number of participating restaurants, as well as ensure that CARES Act funds allocated to the program are able to be used prior to December 31st, 2020.
2) Report with measures to streamline the program for future participants, including standard designs for installation of parklets and a predictable cost structure for different design options so that applicants who wish to participate in the LA A1 Fresco Program may do so at their own expense after these funds are fully expended.