City of Orlando makes changes to downtown parklet program

The Orlando City Council voted early this week to update and make more permanent changes to the downtown parklet program. The program started in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing restaurants and other businesses to offer outdoor seating to combat the spread of the virus, and was updated in 2021.

Funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency, the program lets restaurants and other businesses use parking spaces and large sidewalk areas to host guests in an indoor-outdoor operational area.

The city council unanimously voted Monday , ahead of the July 18 expiration of the current version of the program, to approve updates to the program to help move away from temporary fixtures and toward more permanent, safer solutions. Changes to the program include new rules and review process for establishing different types of parklets, rules for removal of parklets and updated safety requirements.

Parklets are to be distinguished by function and include dining parklets, Main Street community parklets and micro-mobility parklet stations:

1. Main Street Community Parklets , owned and operated by Main Street Districts, will serve as third spaces for business patrons. They allow for food and non-alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the outdoor property without contact with waitstaff.

2. Dining Parklets will operate as traditional restaurant parklet spaces owned and operated by business or restaurant owners. Businesses can provide direct service of food and drink, including alcohol.

3. Micro-mobility Parklet Stations will offer parking space for micro-mobility means of transportation like e-bikes and scooters. They are intended to reduce sidewalk clutter and keep individuals safe while strolling through these districts. The Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Area will own these downtown spaces, while the city’s transportation department owns those in neighborhoods.

Businesses and districts will be expected to cover the costs of installing and maintaining new parklets.

Three existing parklets located at 801 and 805 E. Washington St., 420 E. Church St., and the northeast corner of East Church Street and Lake Avenue are asked to meet updated safety standards or they will be removed by the city after Dec. 31, 2024.
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