Millbrae Restaurants Can Now Use Public Spaces For Outdoor Dining

Press release from the City of Millbrae:

June 10, 2020

On Tuesday night, the Millbrae City Council unanimously approved, with a vote of 5-0, an urgency ordinance allowing local restaurants to use City property for outdoor dining while San Mateo County’s Shelter-In-Place Order is in effect.

With the urgency ordinance’s approval by the City Council, restaurants and food facilities are now allowed to provide outdoor dining services on: 1) privately owned outdoor properties, such as parking lots owned by the restaurant; and 2) public sidewalks, streets, and city-owned outdoor properties.

The use of public sidewalks, streets, and city-owned outdoor properties will require a simple, no cost administrative encroachment permit, which can be acquired from the City’s Community Development Department.

Outdoor dining in the downtown improvement area typically requires a conditional use permit from the Millbrae Planning Commission. The municipal code also prohibits the consumption of alcohol on public streets, sidewalks, and other public ways or parking lots owned by the City. The approved urgency ordinance temporarily suspends these requirements for restaurants and food facilities that have been issued an outdoor dining encroachment permit.

If you own or manage a restaurant or food facility, and would like to put service tables out in the public right-of-way, you will need prior approval from the City. Please contact Assistant Planner Nestor Guevara at (650) 259-2335, or by email at nguevara@ci.millbrae.ca.us, to request an outdoor dining encroachment permit.

Restaurants and food facilities must follow all State of California COVID-19 dining guidelines:

• Guidance for Dine-in Restaurants: https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-dine-in-restaurants.pdf
• Checklist for Dine-in Restaurants: https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/checklist-dine-in-restaurants.pdf

This press release was produced by the City of Millbrae. The views expressed here are the author’s own.