CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — Chula Vista could be the next city to make outdoor dining easier for several restaurants.
The city says it’s established a free permitting process for Third Avenue businesses, between E and G Streets, to move indoor operations outside amid a new round of coronavirus-related closures across the state.
The businesses will be allowed to expand into the public right-of-way, giving them the option to create a large dining area while adhering to social distancing measures.
“This will provide the businesses outdoor options using tables and canopies while having social distancing and queuing areas for sidewalk cafes and curb cafes. Businesses on Third Avenue would be able to create a larger outdoor dining experience as public health mandates currently have indoor dining closed,” a city release stated.
The city also approved a temporary closure of Third Avenue on the weekends, between E and G St., through January 2021 for businesses to expand outdoor dining. This plan would have to be approved by the Third Avenue Village Association to go into effect, the city says.
This week, the city also approved a $1.5 million grant for small businesses to be reimbursed for the costs of business interruptions due to pandemic closures. The grant, called Chula Vista CARES, is funded through the federal CARES Act funds.
For-profit businesses located in commercial or industrial space in the city, with ten or fewer employees, and who were required to closed due to COVID-19 can apply between July 20, at 7 a.m. and July 24, at 7 p.m. for a portion of the grant. The maximum a business can receive will be $6,000. To be fair, the city says businesses will be selected in a lottery format.
“Small businesses are the backbone of Chula Vista’s economy and are a critical part of our community’s economic recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This program is one way of many we are working to show our business community how much we care about their recovery and longevity in Chula Vista,” said Mayor Mary Casillas Salas.
For more information on the grant, click here.
