Update : Follow-up on the news : NEWPORT BEACH : Restaurants Can Add Outdoor Service Space
The new outdoor dining standards allow restaurants to add as much as 500 square feet of patio space to their service areas without formal review.
Restaurateurs had asked the City Council in February to change the rules so that they could add outdoor tables as a way to increase visibility, add charm and attract passersby.
Under the provision approved by the City Council, restaurateurs may apply to the Planning Department for permits to set up temporary enclosures outdoors without revising or adding to their parking facilities.
Councilwoman Jean Watt’s request to require notification of property owners within 300 feet of a proposed outdoor dining site failed on a 4-3 vote. The council did issue an informal directive, however, asking that restaurants notify nearby businesses.
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