Proposed Outdoor Dining Ordinance Could Decimate L.A.’s ‘Al Fresco’ Dining

Restaurant owners say the new regulations proposed by the city for installing and maintaining outdoor dining areas would put them out of reach for many businesses.

2 minute read

February 9, 2023, 10:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Outdoor dining patio in street in Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, surrounded by white picket fence

An outdoor dining patio in Echo Park, Los Angeles. | MBUS / Los Angeles, California

During the pandemic, the Al Fresco Dining program launched by Los Angeles that allowed restaurants to install outdoor dining patios in front of their businesses kept many of them afloat, with more than 2,500 businesses taking advantage of the program. As Jenn Harris explains in the Los Angeles Times, “The program bypassed the usual paperwork, bureaucracy, fees and months of approval that accompany the city permitting process, allowing restaurants to apply for free permits online in minutes and to set up dining areas on private property, on sidewalks, along curbsides and in the street.”

The program is now under threat as city officials outline regulations for the future. While city planners say the streamlined program was always intended to be temporary, restaurant owners say they are still barely beginning to work their way out from under the debt they accrued during the pandemic at a time when ingredient and labor costs are soaring. 

“Now, the city’s proposed ordinance would revert to confusing red tape that could cost restaurants tens of thousands of dollars and put those who can’t afford the additional costs out of business for good.” The proposed ordinance would make the process cost tens of thousands and potentially require a zoning variance. “In addition to the new permits, the proposed ordinance includes restrictions such as the height of a barrier wall, the number of parking spaces that could be turned into outdoor dining areas and allowances for private events.” 

Harris also points out that the ordinance only applies to zoning. Restaurants would likely have to apply for additional permits from the Department of Building and Safety and the Department of Transportation.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight