SAN JOSE (BCN) Taking a cue from San Francisco, the San Jose City Council today unanimously started a pilot program allowing some restaurants to replace street parking spaces with raised “curb cafes” so patrons can sit outside.
The one-year pilot program will authorize up to five eateries to install curb-level platforms to widen the sidewalk for things like tables, chairs, bike parking and plants, city officials said.
“Residents and businesses have long asked us to find better ways to exploit San Jose’s uniquely ideal weather, to bring restaurants, cafes, vendors, and gathering places out into the sunshine,” Councilman Sam Liccardo said in a statement.
“Through this pilot project, we’re taking a healthy step toward a solution,” Liccardo said.
Storefront businesses may now apply for a permit for a proposed curb cafe, detailing the property lines and property owners within 15 feet and how many parking meters would have to be removed, according to a city staff report.