Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
On Monday night, January 11, citizens and small business owners asked the Redwood City Council to adopt a resolution allowing for the extension of the Outdoor Food and Commercial Activities Program, once San Mateo County moves out of the purple level by COVID-19, bringing it under the regional home-stay order.
The program, which could be concluded this month, seeks to ensure that economic activity in the area does not come to a standstill, and with it thousands of people are affected in their economy, because when businesses close, jobs are lost.
"Many businesses have requested that the city's outdoor business program be extended through 2021 or until the pandemic is over so they can evaluate whether investing in additional outdoor eating equipment makes financial sense," city staff said.
They added that, in general, the "parklet" program and the closing of streets has worked well and with a minimum of complaints from users and diners.
Thus, almost 40 restaurants and bars in the city centre have obtained licences to offer food outdoors, an activity that is normally carried out until 10 p.m., despite the fact that most businesses close before that time.
Redwood City has blocked some of the busiest roads in the downtown district from traffic for the "Eat, Sip and Be in RWC" program.
Among the blocked streets are a portion of Broadway, Theatre Way and Main Street.
The Outdoor Meal Program was launched on June 26, 2020.
