City of Cranbrook council March 28 completed a step to help downtown business owners operate seasonal downtown patios.

Council repealed Downtown Seasonal Patio Bylaw No. 3860 and replace it with the revised Downtown Seasonal Patio Bylaw No. 4083.

“Due to Provincial Health Order (PHO) closures, limitations, and an anticipated province wide backlog in applications for patio licenses with the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB), the city wants to extend the Licences of Occupation (LOO) required to operate the Downtown Seasonal Patios,” explained Paul Heywood of Engineering and Development Services in a report to council.

That means “restaurants only need to apply once every three years with the LCRB, and can ensure that the capital funds that they invest into their patio will be amortized over a longer length of time.”

A three-year LOO would strengthen their ability to recover the costs as patios have proven to increase the volume of patrons into their licensed areas, Heywood noted.

“Encouraging downtown patios also adds to the vibrancy of the downtown core, as we discovered during the PHO temporary closures of restaurants last spring and summer.”

The city wants to continue to encourage businesses to consider building patios, and serving patrons and customers alike.

To support local businesses and the revitalization in the downtown core, city staff have not reinstated the administrative fees to process the applications for Downtown Seasonal Patio Permits.

Learn more.

City of Cranbrook file photo

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