City Council Minutes 2020 11 24 SP

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City Council Meeting Minutes November 24, 2020 Page 3 of 7 Kristi, LaFarge Resident, stated she supports the staff proposal to reopen Main Street. She stated the residents impacted nearby have not been engaged in the discussion. If Main Street is kept closed it will be more months of the RTD bus running on LaFarge, she would like to see it run down Front Street if it can't go on Main Street. She is concerned this will become a permanent closure of Main Street with no discussion with the residents suffering most of the impacts. Rick Kron, President of the Downtown Business Association, stated this is only a discussion of a temporary closure, no one is asking for a permanent closure. There is support in the community to keep the street closed for the winter and the DBA agrees. With no indoor dining allowed right now the closure is essential to restaurants. The DBA supports the closure and also finding a solution to the impacts to neighbors on LaFarge. With no Federal help coming, this support for the restaurants is essential. Andy Clark, Moxie Bread 641 Main, asked to keep the street closed and maintain the outdoor seating. He stated his customers love the outdoor seating and those seats are filled throughout the day. The restaurants bring something special to downtown and need this help. Andrea Johnson, 241 South Cleveland Avenue, stated she supports the closure to help the local businesses. Jenni Hlawatsch, the Singing Cook, stated that there is overwhelming support for the closure with those she talks to. She added this is not a request for a permanent closure. She supports the closure to help the downtown restaurants that anchor this area. Janet Russell and Bill Carlson, Creative Framing Art Gallery, stated they support the closure to help the restaurants through this. The inconvenience is overshadowed by the help for these restaurants and bringing people downtown. Sara Martinelli, Huckleberry & Zucca, stated she supports the closure as the street dining has been keeping them going this year. Without indoor seating now it is even worse. People like the outdoor seating and it is a massive help to the residents. Tom Horst, Crystal Springs Brewing Company, stated the gravity of this situation is not clear to everyone. The most important thing is to support the small businesses, if even one does not survive the winter it impacts all of downtown. Keeping main street closed for a couple more months could help immensely. Jon Howland, 12 Degree Brewing, stated this is an immediate threat for the restaurants and making it through the winter is no small feat. There is no federal stimulus and keeping Main Street closed could be the difference between making it through the winter or not. People do like the ability to sit outside even if it is chilly.