Eyeing outdoor options
LDDA seeks community input on dining amid ongoing pandemic
As winter months come to an end, the Longmont Downtown Development Authority is seeking input from restaurant patrons, Main Street business owners, and visitors regarding expanding spring and summer outdoor dining options while the pandemic is still ongoing.
In a news release Wednesday, the LDDA said it “is exploring options for expanded outdoor space along Main Street this year, and requests the public’s input via a shor t, two-minute, four-question online sur vey.”
The sur vey asks residents, business owners and visitors whether they used the outdoor spaces provided last summer along Main Street, asks how satisfied they were with these designated areas, and introduces the concept of “parklets,” which are
uniform, pop-up platforms for restaurants to offer additional outside dining options.
The sur vey also asks how likely residents and visitors would be to visit a Main Street eater y if parklets were available, and provides a dialog box where survey participants can add their own ideas and feedback.
“Last year’s (outdoor dining option) was definitely a big help to us because not only did it feel a little bit safer eating out — it just overall helped of fset our … restriction limits on indoor dining,” Pumphouse Brewer y co-owner Ross Hagen said.
“If we can have that oppor tunity again, that would cer tainly be helpful since it’s a little bit unknown,” he added of the possibility of another outdoor dining season and Longmont’s desire to once again help Main Street restaurants.
Sean Gafner, who owns The Roost, Jefes Tacos and Tequila and Smokin’ Bowls along Main Street, said Thursday that he welcomes the oppor tunity for any expansion the city is willing to help with and provide — especially the creation of “parklets.”
“I like the uniformity of the parklets idea because last year was kind of all over the place — and some (restaurants) were using a lot of different ideas and having dif ficulty. So I like the way that they’re planning on putting a bit more legwork themselves to bring something consistent and quality,” Gafner said.
Last June, the Longmont City Council approved the placement of concrete barriers along Main Street, between Third and Sixth avenues, which were kept in place into the fall.
An online petition from restaurateurs in October attempted to get the city to keep the outdoor dining barriers into 2021, but due to concerns over winter snow removal along Main Street, the city removed the remaining barriers by Nov. 4.
With warmer days on the horizon, the LDDA now is seeking input about how to better accommodate downtown restaurants while the pandemic continues.
The release stated that “with continued capacity limitations placed on restaurants and businesses and open-air environments being recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial for downtown small businesses to be able to utilize as much outdoor space as possible to conduct business safely and in compliance with public health orders.”
Hagen said: “Right now, the numbers are getting better and the restrictions are looking like are going to loosen up a little bit, but you just never know — ever ything last year was totally unexpected and so the one thing that would be unknown for us is what will happen without any expansion of outdoor dining.”
“I for one am super grateful for the LDDA and Longmont working toward doing what they can to help us be successful in the parameters we get from the state, federal and county authorities,” Gafner said. “Our customers are just thankful we have these options and can accommodate them safely. That’s the bottom line really.
“We’ve all been working really hard to be better than ever, in ever y way, not just the cleanliness and not just because of COVID,” he said. “… And so we are doing ever ything we can to be the best version of our businesses we’ve ever been. And now we need our customers to come and check us out and see how the improvements we’ve made and, and just suppor t us and our staf f.”
The sur vey, which will close March 18, can be found at https://www.sur veymonkey.com/r/parklet-customer.