HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-06-20 Public Comment - E. Staley - Sidewalk Cafe Permit waiver requestFrom:Ellie Staley
To:Martin Matsen; Jeff Mihelich <jmihelich@BOZEMAN.NET>; Shawn Kohtz <SKohtz@BOZEMAN.NET>; ChrisSaunders <csaunders@BOZEMAN.NET>; Brit Fontenot <bfontenot@BOZEMAN.NET>; David Fine<DFine@BOZEMAN.NET>; Taylor Lonsdale <tlonsdale@BOZEMAN.NET>; Mitch Reister; Chris Mehl; Agenda
Cc:Downtown Business Association; Ariana - Country Bookshelf; Babs Noelle (babs@alarajewelry. com)
(babs@alarajewelry.com); brandi@indikoi.com; Coco Douma (Coco Douma) (cocod@ourbank.com); Matt Beehler
- Lark/Rialto; Natalie - Treeline; Tessa Burnett
Subject:Sidewalk Cafe Permit waiver request
Date:Thursday, August 6, 2020 10:01:16 AM
Attachments:image001.pngSidewalk cafe permit waiver request_Aug2020.pdf
Hello City Leaders!
I know there has been some discussion about the possibility of opening additional outdoor space for
businesses or doing something to help them with welcoming customers while also promoting safety.
We, mylsef and the DBA Board thinks this is a great idea! And, we have looked into options like
waiving the open container and feel like waiving the Sidewalk Café and Encroachment Permits for a
short period of time might be the most logical option while keeping with all encroachment
regulations and licensed establishments following the rules of their specific license. Please review
the attached letter outlining our specific request. Thanks so much in advance for your consideration.
I also believe if this is an option, time is of the essence and we’re hoping to move it forward as
quickly as possible. Thanks again, Ellie
Ellie Staley
Downtown Bozeman Partnership
DBA, Director
www.downtownbozeman.org
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From: Downtown Bozeman Association; Board of Directors and Staff
Babs Noelle (Chair), Alara Jewelry
Coco Douma (Vice Chair), First Security Bank
Ariana Paliobagis, Country Bookshelf
Tessa Burnett Witmer, Hattie Rex
Matt Beehler, The Lark and Rialto
Natalie VanDusen, Treeline Coffee
Brandi Pellerin, Indikoi
Ellie Staley, Staff
To: Bozeman City Commissioners
Chris Mehl, Bozeman Mayor
City of Bozeman Admin;
Mitch Reister
Martin Matsen
Jeff Mihelich
Shawn Kohtz
Chris Saunders
Brit Fontenot
David Fine
Taylor Lonsdale
RE: Request to Waive Sidewalk Café Permit for COVID-19, August through October 2020
Dear City of Bozeman Leaders and Staff,
We are writing this letter on behalf of the seven current Downtown Bozeman Association Board Members who
represent the 350+ DBA Member Businesses who have, although varied, been highly impacted by COVID-19. The
current 350+ DBA members are comprised almost completely of locally owned small businesses, most of which assume
a large percentage of their annual revenue from hospitality.
As we know, the mask mandate has helped ensure the safety of our frontline employees and their patrons. Although,
with added fears of being indoors and in enclosed spaces near one another, we’ve also seen a dramatic decline in the
interest of going inside businesses regardless of the mask mandate. This shift in customer behavior has benefitted the
businesses who have outdoor access, specifically those who offer full service to customers at sidewalk tables and have
obtained a Sidewalk Café permit or have added retail racks to their Encroachment Permits. We think there is an avenue
for the City of Bozeman to help welcome our customers to the “Downtown Business District” with more access to
outdoor space and were asking your help and support to do this.
After further review of the Sidewalk Café and Sidewalk Encroachment Permits, we think this can be done through a
couple specific avenues, with your support and guidance. First, by waiving the Sidewalk Café Permit as well as waiving
the fence requirement within this ordinance (Article 5- Sec. 34.05.080. - Exclusive use of public right-of-way; permit
required). According to this ordinance, “the Director may authorize the exclusive use of public right of way,” for a
“Sidewalk Café permit” with “exclusive use” for our licensed beverage servers within the current parameters of their
liquor license. This permit in short terms is extension of their business so, all their liquor licensing and sidewalk
encroachment rules would continue to be their responsibility to abide by but now on to the sidewalk space in front of
their business. We also feel it would be important to waive the Sidewalk Café Permit “rule” of an enclosed fence, simply
due to time and cost constraints involved in producing, funding and erecting a fence for a short period of time while the
permit is waived.
Secondly, we not only intend to help promote this waiver of the Sidewalk Café Permit to our licensed beverage
restaurants and bars, we also intend to extend the same concept to our retailers by also adding retail racks and seating
spaces to the current Downtown Bozeman Partnership’s Sidewalk Encroachment Permit that currently just includes our
benches, bike racks and general street furniture but could include these items on a temporary basis and within the
current regulations. Again, all of this is assuming compliance with the current Sidewalk Café and Encroachment Permits’
rules and requirements as well as ensuring ADA compliance throughout.
Although we do not feel this is going to be utilized by many businesses, we do think it’s the effort that counts. And, for
those who do utilize it, it may just provide to more downtown restaurants and retailers may provide a notable benefit to
these businesses, their employees and all our downtown customers from locals, visitors students etc. in a time when it is
needed most.
Thanks in advance for your consideration. The details of these permits and the best avenue to approach this waiver is
certainly open for discussion and additional ideas and we look forward to exploring all options.
Respectfully submitted,
The Downtown Bozeman Association Board and Staff