Temporary Outdoor Dining Program Extended Through September 30
City of Milpitas - Office of Economic Development | July 16, 2021
Dear Restaurant Owners and Managers,
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Milpitas created a no-fee Temporary Outdoor Dining Program to support local restaurants and provide opportunities for Milpitas residents and visitors to enjoy being out in the community. We were pleased to see many restaurants register with the City and set up safe outdoor dining areas for their customers on a temporary basis.
On June 15, 2021, the State of California lifted restrictions on indoor gathering and requirements for social distancing, allowing restaurants to operate at full indoor capacity. Most restaurants have since returned to normal operations and removed their temporary outdoor dining areas. However, a few restaurants have expressed a desire to keep their temporary outdoor dining areas open through the summer, so the City has decided to extend the program through September 30, 2021. Participating restaurants must continue to comply with all State and local safety regulations as well as the the City’s Guidelines for Outdoor Dining outlined at the end of this letter.
In light of the many positive benefits of outdoor dining, including support for local businesses and the activation of streets and parking areas, the City will also create a new program to allow outdoor dining on a permanent basis after September 30, 2021. This new program will require changes to the City’s Zoning Ordinance as well as input from the City Council and the community, so it will take some time to develop. Restaurants that wish to participate in this new program must submit an interest form to the Planning Department before September 30, 2021. The application form is available at www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/planningdepartment. The City expects to implement the new program in early 2022.
Please read the full letter for more details on the application process and full list of local guidelines. If you have questions about the information in this letter, please call 408-586-3279 or email outdoor.dining@ci.milpitas.ca.gov. We appreciate the opportunity to work with you to extend outdoor dining options in Milpitas through September 30, 2021 and beyond.
