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The Latino Restaurant Association has taken a stand against a proposed Los Angeles Department of City Planning proposal to require restaurants with outdoor dining areas to maintain a parking space.
"The release of this recommendation on December 1, at 4:01 pm, has sent shockwaves through our community," wrote Lilly Rocha, CEO of the LRA, in a letter to the Los Angeles City Council. "Recommendation #2, which now suggests the provision and/or maintenance of at least one parking stall to retain our outdoor patios, threatens the very essence of the vibrant dining culture we have worked hard to establish over the past three years."
The Department of City Planning proposal would affect the city's Al Fresco Ordinance, which was introduced in April and was designed to make permanent the temporary rules established during Covid that allowed restaurants to operate in their parking lots. A Fact Sheet from the city about the proposed ordinance states: "Recognizing the success of the emergency outdoor dining authorizations, the draft ordinance will simplify current Zoning Code regulations for restaurant owners who wish to offer outdoor dining in private property areas including but not limited to parking lots, patios, and balconies. Specifically, this ordinance seeks to make permanent the temporary zoning relief measures for private property introduced during the pandemic that allowed restaurant operators to utilize their parking spaces to facilitate outdoor dining."
Now that ordinance is threatened by the Department of City Planning proposal to require parking, Rocha contends. Her letter continues: "Our outdoor dining spaces have become integral to our establishments, providing a unique and culturally rich experience for our patrons. It is disheartening to learn that without a designated parking stall, small businesses may be denied the right to continue operating these spaces that have not only defined their businesses but have also contributed significantly to the local economy. In a city grappling with economic challenges and faced with the burdens of high food and gas costs, the imposition of mandatory parking requirements adds an additional strain on our already fragile small business community. We urge you, esteemed members of the City Council, to stand with us as a community fighting for our right to maintain outdoor dining spaces. Let the provision of parking be a choice rather than a mandatory cost thrust upon the shoulders of our already struggling small businesses. Our community is resilient, but we cannot bear the weight of additional burdens that compromise our ability to thrive."
Rocha says the LRA has prepared an action plan to address this issue at the Los Angeles City Council's meeting on Tuesday, December 5.
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