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Page 1 of 3 <br />REPORT <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the City Manager <br /> <br />November 9, 2015 <br /> <br />SUBJECT <br />Ordinance Amending Section 33A.15 of the Redwood City Code to Change the <br />Definition of “Sidewalk Café Area” <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Waive First Reading and Introduce Ordinance Amending Section 33A.15 of the <br />Redwood City Code to Change the Definition of Sidewalk Café Area. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />The City Council has recognized the importance of active Downtown pedestrian <br />environments for many years. In the 1970’s Council passed an ordinance establishing <br />active pedestrian uses at the former Broadway Mall. In 1993, Council adopted a revised <br />ordinance encouraging cafes to place tables and chairs within the pedestrian mall area. <br />During 2001-2002, the City held public workshops and exercises as part of early <br />development of a Downtown Area Plan. <br />In October 2002, Council adopted changes to the Broadway Mall Ordinance (including a <br />name change to “Use of the Downtown Sidewalk Café Area”) that adjusted provisions <br />related to permits, permit application process, sidewalk café location, permit duration, <br />fees, standards for issuance, and other administrative provisions. These changes also <br />included a purpose statement, contained in Section 33A.16: <br />“The Downtown Sidewalk Cafe Area has been designed and constructed as a <br />pedestrian promenade and to enhance pedestrian access to stores and businesses <br />located adjacent thereto. It is the purpose and intent of the City Council, by this Article, <br />to promote the utilization of the Downtown Sidewalk Cafe Area in furtherance of, and in <br />a manner consistent with, the public health, safety, welfare and interest and to create <br />comfortable, enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing public spaces.” <br />The 2002 ordinance also revised Section 33A.15 (Definition- Downtown Sidewalk Café <br />Area) to acknowledge the change in name from “Broadway Mall”. The sidewalk areas <br />contained within this definition, which limited sidewalk cafes to certain portions of <br />Broadway and the specified streets that intersected Broadway, did not change. It should <br />be noted that with this adopted definition, the portion of Broadway between Arguello <br />7.4.A. - Page 5