Streetside eating will remain across Seattle neighborhoods

“Streateries” will remain across Seattle neighborhoods following unanimous approval by city council on Tuesday.

“This is the final step in the pathway to permanency for outdoor dining,” councilmember Dan Strauss, who sponsored the ordinance along with councilmember Tammy Morales, said on Tuesday. “There was a program before the pandemic started to allow for sidewalk cafes. It was quite expensive and it was a very small amount of space.”

Streateries and outdoor vendors were a common resource for businesses trying attract customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, following restrictions on indoor dining and capacity.

A temporary program allowed businesses to set up on sidewalks or parking zones without charging traditional permit fees.

With the temporary program set to end in January, this new ordinance creates a new fee structure for outdoor permits.

The new program will include cheaper permit fees compared to pre-pandemic prices, according to Strauss.

“There’ve been conversations about, ‘does this privatize public space?’ And for me, the answer is no because we’re relying on small businesses and their entrepreneurial skills to make our neighborhoods more vibrant,” Strauss said. “What we found in Ballard is that we’re able to have places for cars to park and these outdoor dining opportunities.”

©2022 Cox Media Group