SURVEY: Sidewalk/curbside dining and shopping in Seattle – what’s the future, post-pandemic?

(WSB file photo)

In West Seattle and around the city, the pandemic has brought an expansion in sidewalk/curbside dining and shopping. The city is going to keep issuing free permits for this for a while – but then has to decide on future policies. They’re asking for your help via a survey. Here’s the announcement and survey link:

As you may know, for the past year SDOT has issued free permits to local businesses to allow outdoor cafes, retail displays, and vending trucks and carts on our streets and sidewalks. Participating businesses have expressed great appreciation and new applications are still being accepted through the end of 2021. This program was designed to help businesses as we recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and the restrictions placed on indoor customer capacity.

We are now planning for what will happen when the free permit program ends on May 31, 2022. Will we return to pre-COVID permitting with related design standards, rules, and permit fees? Or will we take what we’ve learned from this program and heard from our community and begin to make some changes? What changes would have the most positive effects and on which communities or which groups within communities?

As one part of our effort to learn more, we created a survey for members of the general public and business owners. This is just one part of our outreach plan, but it’s an important one. … The survey will remain open through August 15, 2021, but please consider taking it right away – it is designed to take 10 minutes or less.

surveymonkey.com/r/CafesDisplaysVendinginPublicSpace

Eldorado July 14, 2021 (1:08 pm)

I wholeheartedly support outdoor curbside dining areas, but ONLY if California Avenue (between Oregon and Edmunds) is closed to automobile traffic in all but one lane each way in lieu of the current two lanes each way with the outdoor seating being immediately adjacent in the parking zone… a few feet away from moving traffic. Furthermore, there should be ‘school-zone’ type cameras and flashing lights to prevent any speeding whatsoever. All of this because I fear there will be a car meets curbside cafe accident/incident one of these days, and it’s not going to be good. I’ve seen WAAAAY to many ‘innocent’ parked cars get hit along California. But for the record. I always prefer sitting outside… especially in our current sort of weather. Thus leaving atleast one lane’s space between people and cars can’t be a bad thing, and that’s right, this solution might also mean no street parking in the junction.

Jay July 14, 2021 (1:13 pm)

The survey is kinda black and white. I support lane closures and some sidewalk closures for restaurants. But I strongly oppose problematic sidewalk blockage (like Mission Cantina in North Admiral) that make it difficult to walk. There needs to be a reasonable minimum usable sidewalk width, enough for two people to walk or pass each other shoulder to shoulder or a wheelchair user to pass freely.

WSB July 14, 2021 (1:35 pm)

I went through the survey before publishing this and there are several open-ended questions toward the end so hopefully you shared your nuanced comments there too,
Steve July 14, 2021 (3:42 pm)

I agree, Jay–accessibility first!

Johnw July 14, 2021 (2:07 pm)

I generally support these, but the location of currently being constructed Easy Street structure is more of a concern due to being on the corner and far from curb bulbs.

Brian July 14, 2021 (2:10 pm)

Maybe let’s just get through this pandemic before we start planning for what life looks like after it.

AN July 14, 2021 (7:46 pm)

Weird flex, as the kids say, but OK. Please explain why the DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION shouldn’t be planning for a post-pandemic future by fielding a survey. I’ll wait.
- Brian July 15, 2021 (9:26 pm)
  
  You can wait all you want but the point is that talking about “post-pandemic” as if this is over in any capacity is foolish as heck.

JW July 14, 2021 (7:36 pm)

I am against this proposal. I don’t want to go out to dinner and have people walking past and gawking at what I’m eating or doing . It also makes it difficult to have a conversation with the traffic . Also there’s the real possibility of a car running into the eating space . Blocking off California ave to traffic and rerouting to the side streets is idiotic., they are not capable of handling that amount of traffic. During the pandemic a lot of people became used to shopping on line instead of the shops. If the junctions become more difficult to navigate and find parking then business owners will have a tough time getting customers to come. Not all West Seattleites are young and can walk or ride a bike around to shop . And don’t get me started on the idiot running for mayor that thinks we seniors can “roll “ around West Seattle.

Reply to JW July 14, 2021 (8:19 pm)

JW, do you mean as in “Houston,” we have a problem? Number of reasons why he won’t get my vote. The only reason he is on the ballot and has any money, is by harvesting the voting vouchers!
Your neighbor July 14, 2021 (8:56 pm)

Okay. I; however, would like the “option” of outdoor dining. I’d like the choice. As an older adult, I often eat alone or sometimes meet with friends. I absolutely love people watching which is much more available with dining outdoors. I also like the focus on pedestrians versus vehicles and feel that outdoor dining helps solidify that. I’m just going to add that isolation and loneliness are very real issues in our society. For me, it’s frankly a godsend to be in the middle of comings and goings as I dine outdoors. Lots more engagement and a completely different experience than eating inside.
- Pessoa July 15, 2021 (8:20 am)
  
  There is an almost palpable, visceral sense of isolation, loneliness – even coldness – in this city, much more so than any other place I’ve ever lived, despite attempts to disguise it. Anything to improve that dynamic is a good thing.
Spoked July 14, 2021 (10:59 pm)

Regarding biking and the comment about seniors. Cycling is actually low impact and healthy for people of all ages. Many seniors could ride a bike some of the time, and would benefit from doing so.
Lola July 15, 2021 (8:00 am)

JW, I agree with you. Who wants to smell exhaust while dining? Unless this is a ploy to try and get rid of cars altogether? Enough is enough on taking roads away from Motorist. If the restaurants are opening back up then dine inside like you used to. I realize some of you choose not to Vaccinate but then choose not to dine out I guess. Taking away roads or closing them down altogether is not the answer for the restaurants. Go into the restaurant if you want to dine out.

newnative July 14, 2021 (8:26 pm)

Thanks, I voted for close all the roads and open all the sidewalks and parking spots for dining and sidewalk sales.

Robert J Schmidt July 15, 2021 (4:10 pm)

Sidewalks are owned by the city and are reserved for foot transportation of the citizens. If there is reserve capacity where outside dining does not interfere with such traffic then the city needs to charge the full market rate for the rental of this real estate. The city should not subsidized individuals be they businesses or otherwise by the defacto giving away of public property.

anonyme July 16, 2021 (7:32 am)

I agree with Robert J Schmidt. It is also troubling that the debate seems to be over whether the permits should be free or paid and for how long, rather than if they should be issued at all. I have no problem with sidewalk cafes if they do not interfere with foot traffic in any way. However, this city has an abysmal record of enforcement. It appears that many such permits are being issued willy-nilly without respect to the impact on pedestrians, especially those with limited mobility. Clear violations are ignored by SDOT, such as the perennial sidewalk-blocking tables at Husky Deli. And the new structure in front of Easy Street is a view-blocking, pedestrian-vehicle accident waiting to happen. So I have strong reservations about opening yet another Pandora’s box of problems regarding the private use of public property in a city that doesn’t seem to know how to manage either.

Sorry, comment time is over.