Despite LA's lack of sidewalk dining, which really does kill the pedestrian experience, the City Council has decided to throw a new fee at restaurants providing sidewalk dining, in order to make sure that they are complying with the rules. And it's not just a one time fee. It's a new fee which will be extracted every two years for "inspection and administrative costs." We have to wonder if this is somehow related to the recent eviction of sidewalk seating at the South Park Starbucks. Thank you, LA City Council for finally tackling this important problem.
An ordinance adding Subsection (a) to Section 62.118.2 of the Los Angeles
Municipal Code (LAMC) requiring any restaurant wishing to engage in dining activities
within the dedicated public right-of-way to obtain a revocable permit from the Board of Public Works (Board), as administered by the Bureau of Engineering, and to pay a fee in addition to the revocable permit fee to cover the inspection and administrative costs for ensuring compliance of the revocable permit conditions for sidewalk dining. The inspection and administrative fees shall be collected every two (2) years beginning two (2) years after initial permit issuance.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 62.118.2 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding Subsection (a) thereto, to read:
(a) Every restaurant wishing to engage in sidewalk dining activities within the dedicated public right-of-way must obtain a revocable permit from the Board,
as administered by the Bureau of Engineering, as described in LAMC Section 62.118.2. The Board shall adopt, from time to time, as it deems necessary, policies setting forth the requirements and conditions under which the Board, through the Bureau of Engineering, may grant revocable permission for sidewalk
dining activities.
1. Every restaurant in possession of a revocable permit to engage in sidewalk dining activities within the public right-of-way pursuant to LAMC Section 62.118.2 (a) shall also be responsible for an Inspection and Administrative Fee to cover the City's cost to inspect the location and verify compliance with permit conditions. The Inspection and Administrative Fee shall be paid once every two (2) years, beginning two (2) years after issuance of the sidewalk dining permit. The Board shall set such fees at an amount that recovers the City's cost of inspection and permit administration and adopt such fees as permitted by the Los Angeles Municipal Code. This fee shall also apply to all existing revocable permits which have been previously issued by the Board for sidewalk dining activities at the time this ordinance is effective. As such, the restaurants with previously issued sidewalk dining permits shall pay the required Inspection and Administrative Fee once every two (2) years, beginning two (2) years after the date this ordinance becomes effective. The Inspection and Administrative Fee shall be paid to the City no later than 30 days prior to the expiration date displayed on the sidewalk dining permit. Non-payment of the Inspection and Administrative Fee will result in revocation of the sidewalk dining permit.
Sec. 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this ordinance and have it published in accordance with Council policy, either in a daily newspaper circulated
in the City of Los Angeles or by posting for ten days in three public places in the City of Los Angeles: one copy on the bulletin board located at the Main Street entrance to the Los Angeles City Hall; one copy on the bulletin board located at the Main Street entrance to the Los Angeles City Hall East; and one copy on the bulletin board located
at the Temple Street entrance to the Los Angeles County Hall of Records.
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