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Ill qty , '+ CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />im Louisville AGENDA ITEM IV <br />COLOR ► [)O • s I ( <br />SUBJECT: <br />DATE: <br />2014 DOWNTOWN PATIO PROGRAM DISCUSSION <br />OCTOBER 22, 2013 <br />PRESENTED BY: AARON M. DEJONG, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT <br />SUM MARY: <br />Staff is requesting input into program guidelines for the 2014 downtown street patio <br />season. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The downtown patio program was started by the Downtown Business Association <br />(DBA) in 2009 as a way to create activity within the downtown area. The DBA ran the <br />program until the start of the 2013 season. The existing patios were showing significant <br />wear and needed reinvestment. The DBA was unable to continue the program, and <br />seeing the benefits to the downtown, the City took over the program. <br />Benefits of the patios include: <br />• Encourages an active street front <br />• Creates additional space for restaurant operations, which creates new sales tax <br />revenue for the City <br />• Calms traffic and creates a more pedestrian friendly environment <br />• Heralds the start of the summer season and encourages people from all over the <br />region to come to Louisville <br />The City invested approximately $240,000 in early 2013 to manufacture 17 twelve foot <br />patios and 2 six -foot patios. The cost was significant, primarily because the new patios <br />are much more durable (estimated minimum 10 -15 year useful life), functional (they are <br />wider and longer, so seating is better, and they are easier to install and level, have a <br />movable lip that matches and perfectly transitions to the curb), and have a polished <br />look. The City's program maintained patios in front of restaurants that had patios in past <br />years, and added a total of 48 feet of new patios in front of Bittersweet Cafe, Double <br />Happy, and The Melting Pot. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />To reinforce the benefits of the patio program, staff drafted the following Purpose <br />Statement: <br />The Downtown Patio Program makes available outdoor <br />patios in existing on- street parking spaces during the late <br />spring, summer and early fall. The program is meant to <br />provide benefits to the community as a whole by <br />encouraging an active streetscape. The patio program <br />CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />6 <br />