REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL August 27, 2020 FROM: Esmeralda Soria, Councilmember SUBJECT ..Title 1. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 22nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2020-159 to appropriate $500,000 in CARES Act Funds for the Temporary Parklet Program (Requires 5 affirmative votes) (Subject to Mayor's Veto) ..Body RECOMMENDATION Recommends the City Council adopt Resolution and appropriate $500,000 from the CARES Act to expand service area space known as Temporary Parklets for COVID19 impacted restaurants in the City of Fresno as designated by Council. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Due the world-wide pandemic, State and Local Emergency Orders have been declared which required closures of Non-Essential Business. Recent orders have allowed some businesses to reopen with limited operational space in order to provide for Social Distancing as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This limitation has prevented many business owners from creating sufficient revenue to remain open. To promote continued re-opening of restaurants and the return of the economic vitality of Fresno and provide safe expanded areas for customers it is recommended that Council appropriate $500,000 to the further creation of parklets to provide safe designated areas within parking lots or streets as previously approved by Council for expanded service area. BACKGROUND The 2020 COVID19 Pandemic has greatly impacted, the health and economics of our nation. The City of Fresno desires to promote economic vitality while observing required health guidelines. Restaurants are opening under the new CDC Health Guidelines and are operating in outdoor space only and will potentially only be limited to partial occupancy should the emergency order roll back. As a result, restaurants are not able to return to pre-panademic staffing levels. This is causing financial hardship for the business and limits the number of jobs available for rehiring laid off staffing. The City wishes to allow restaurants to expand their service area space in a safe manner. Providing temporary outdoor dining area space through Temporary Parklets will provide for CDC recommended social distances, provide barriers for safe dining area and allow restaurants to rehire staff. The appropriated funds will be used to place Temporary Parklet spaces in strategic areas to serve as expanded service area for restaurants in the City of Fresno Attachment: Resolution