Thread by @shayshinecastle

Hello, #Boulder Twitter. It is I, Shay Castle, once again asking you to follow along as I tweet city council meetings.

Tonight's agenda: A couple quick updates on restaurant reopening/outdoor dining and homeless services (winter shelters close at end of May) boulderbeat.news/2020/05/23/com…

Longer discussions on COVID enforcement and which items council may want to place on the ballot / governor's orders for mail/email petition signatures boulderbeat.news/2020/05/20/dea…

And (no link this time) a lengthy update on Boulder's flood and stormwater plan/projects. Real page-turner, that one.

Getting ready. All 9 council members. Plus Adam Swetlik's backlit couch, which really deserves its own Twitter account.

Starting with some fluff: A declaration for everyone who graduated from HS this year in Boulder. Here's a video: vimeo.com/422877754

It's kinda fun to watch a cheesy local gov't video for once instead of listening to people snipe over controversial issues.

LMAO and this is the CHEESIEST.

Joseph and Friend helped organize this video/declaration.

Nagle wasn't in the video but wants to add a couple schools that were "left out" of the declaration.

Boulder's airport is getting a $30,000 grant as part of the CARES Act. There's a memo on that but I haven't seen it.

Council has to OK Brautigam to sign that.

Unanimous assent on that.

Now Yvette Bowden talking about restaurant reopening and street closures.

The city is only doing two: 9th to 11th on Pearl (plus part of an alley) and the event street on Uni Hill near Pennsylvania and 13th.

Presentation here: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/3B_Respon…

Still no cost info in the packet or presentation, as I requested. We'll see if Bowden shares that.

She references a memo council got. I haven't seen it.

Polis yesterday said restaurants could reopen at 50% capacity (no more than 50 ppl) tomorrow.

Boulder is ahead of the game, Bowden says. Emergency order issued today, waived parking requirements and opened applications for outdoor dining.

Restaurants can use right-of-way, per today's order.

Should also mention that those street closures are billed as Phase 1... but no info on Phase 2 and where/what that might be.

Bowden: "During your last council meeting, you gave us direction that we should be flexible and listen to biz. ... We got some additional feedback from ... particular retailers who were concerned. We did not hear the same kind of feedback everywhere."

Another update coming to council July 28... which seems like a long time from now, if there is indeed a Phase 2.

"On the Hill, there was a lot of support expressed for event street closure," Bowden says.

Bowden: "We anticipate some moving forward with parklets and other ideas."

Clarification: Application for outdoor dining goes live tonight or tomorrow morning

Food trucks are also going to be allowed in residential areas, which is new

Charles Ferro with another clarification, nullifying my previous clarification: Application is already live (as first reported)

Looks like the city is doing a 3-day turnaround time for outdoor dining permits

Here's some guidance on outdoor seating:
o Simple elements - no decking, no structures = no permits!
o Removable tables, benches, chairs & umbrellas
o Tents and canopies
o Moveable planters
o Rugs and artificial turf

o Temporary barriers and methods of containment of all kinds (pallets, temporary fencing and railings, planters on wheels, etc.).
o Ornamental Lighting
o Murals and art on barriers and containment devices

Hours:
o 10:00 pm Sunday – Thursday & 11:00 pm Friday & Saturday + Federal Holidays
o Amplified outdoor music until 9:00 p.m

Ferro: "We're not asking you to wait for formal inspections or approvals .... you can go ahead and start getting set up. An inspector will come out to ensure compliance and issue certification. ... You submit your application and start moving."

BUT liquor license will take until inspection is done, so you can't serve booze without that.

Should track along with three-day review process, Ferro says.

Ferro: "I really wanna emphasize simplicity" when it comes to outdoor seating.

More outdoor seating guidelines:
Areas to be used for sit down dining only
o No structures or decking
o Obstructions: storm drain inlets, drain pans, valve boxes and manholes
o No extension cords across sidewalks or parking lots
o Tents & Canopies - some size limitations

o You need to have proof of insurance
o Permission from property owner
o No outdoor grills, heaters, candles, etc.

Weaver to Bowden and Ferro: "I give you great kudos on how quickly you moved."

"We're getting set up well for the opening on the 27th"

Which is tmrw

Yates: "Wow, that was fantastic. You delivered everything we asked for last week and then some. And in a short time."

Yates: When is West Pearl closing?
Cowern: We're buying those barricades so we'll have them in perpetuity. Will be up by Friday evening.

Brockett: What are requirements for private property?
Ferro: Similar to public. We're asking ppl to keep it really, really simple. At the end of the day, landlord is the one who says what's OK or not.

Young: Is the city helping to lease furniture?
Bowden: We've looked into this but can't find a way to do it equitably, but our partners are looking into maybe providing lists of where restaurants can find furniture.

Young: Can private property owners charge a fee for using their parking lots?
Bowden: Yes. It's their property and their tenants, so they can do what they want.

"We'll keep our ear to the ground and find out what we can," Bowden says. "But it is certainly possible."

Young: "I would discourage that."

That's the end of this one. Like I said, super quick update.
I will follow up with cost info for the barricades. It's only ~3 blocks so probably not v much but.... information is power!

Weaver says council may want a check-in next week.

@threadreaderapp please unroll. Thank you!