Parking spaces in downtown Traverse City could be used for outdoor dining this summer. The plan is to allow businesses to use designated parking spaces from May to October. The city commission gave preliminary approval on Monday.
The proposal still needs a final vote. If approved, so-called “platform” seating could be in place by the end of this month.
The Downtown Development Authority supported the plan in a unanimous vote.
The plan also requires existing sidewalk cafes to put up hard-edge barriers. And it would limit the size of some cafes on the sidewalk. The plan increases the amount of sidewalk that needs to remain in place for pedestrians. The distance is currently four feet, but there is discussion of expanding that to six feet.
Mayor Pro Tem Jim Carruthers is concerned about the the minimum distance required for pedestrians, especially for those in wheelchairs or those with strollers or pets.
He voted against the proposal moving forward.
"Are we doing this for the cafes or are we doing this for the people of Traverse City that walk down our streets?" he says. "What’s more important?"
He also says interest from businesses is not there yet. He says business owners were not at meetings requesting these cafes.
"We didn’t have any business owners show up saying that they want a street café, so we really don’t know that there’s any businesses out there," he says. "We’ve heard hearsay that some businesses might want to do this."
The DDA representative at the meeting said businesses had expressed interest.
The final vote on the outdoor cafes will be on June 16.