Outdoor Dining
San Francisco leaders shelve proposed patio smoking ban
Facing backlash from business owners, supervisors postponed a discussion of legislation that would bar smoking from restaurant and bar patios.
San Francisco weighs patio smoking ban
Business owners say the ban could force patrons onto sidewalks and disrupt long-standing bar culture, while proponents of the ordinance say second-hand smoke is a threat to patrons and workers.
Houston's pedestrian promenade on track to be ready for World Cup crowds
The city is transforming seven downtown blocks along a light rail line into a car-free zone focused on outdoor dining and entertainment.
NYC launches curb management office to rein in delivery, parking chaos
New York has roughly 3 million curbside parking spots.
Downtown St. Petersburg Poised for Pedestrian-Friendly Makeover
A new vision for Central Avenue includes wider sidewalks and more space for outdoor dining.
DC ‘Streatery’ Fees Could Kill Most Outdoor Dining
The new, permanent outdoor dining program will cost businesses $20 per square foot of dining space, prompting most restaurants to dismantle their Covid-era ‘streateries.’
Ventura, CA Makes Car-Free Main Street Permanent
Main Street has been closed to cars since 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic spurred a flurry of open streets projects.
In Praise of Analog Cities: Futureproofing in a Time of Crisis
I didn’t need a pandemic or a war to teach me that smart cities weren’t the future — but it sure drove the message home.
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
NYC Outdoor Dining Could Get a Re-Do
The city council is considering making the al fresco dining program year-round to address cost concerns from small businesses.
DC Extends Application Window for Outdoor Dining Permits
District restaurants will have until the end of November to apply, but businesses with permits in rush hour parking lanes must end operations on July 31.
NYC Outdoor Dining Won’t Include Booze — For Now
Hundreds of restaurants will be unable to serve alcohol in their outdoor dining areas this summer due to a delay in permitting.
NYC Approves Only 40 of Over 1,300 of Outdoor Dining Applications
Restaurant owners say they’ve been in limbo for months as city departments point fingers at each other for delays in permit approvals.
NYC Losing Many Outdoor Dining Areas Due to Expensive New Regulations
Restaurant owners say the city’s new outdoor dining program makes it too difficult and expensive to operate al fresco setups.
Creative Ways to Activate Roofless Buildings and Vacant Lots
Pocket parks aren’t the only way to repurpose underused urban spaces.
How Park(ing) Day Leads to Permanent Change
Small-scale interventions can lead the way to major parking reforms.
NYC Releases Pre-Approved Outdoor Dining Designs
Four designs cater to various street conditions and locations.
Minneapolis Opens 2024 Parklet Season
The program supports nonprofits and other groups who want to build parklets and outdoor dining spaces on public right-of-way.
NYC Releases Outdoor Dining Designs
New guidelines for the city’s ‘streeteries’ are set to go into effect next April.
Santa Barbara Renews Parklet Program
The city updated its pandemic-era on-street dining program with new regulations that limit the locations and design of parklets.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
