Streetaries outdoor dining program

On August 29, 2023, the City Council adopted the Streetaries Outdoor Dining Areas ordinance and associated design standards and fees. The staff report, ordinance, and resolutions are available on the City website.

The Streetaries program replaces the Temporary Outdoor Use Permit (TOUP) program implemented during the pandemic that supported and reactivated local businesses by temporarily allowing expanded uses in the public right-of-way. The TOUP program ended with the expiration of Governor Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 State of Emergency Order.

A Streetary is an outdoor eating area that operates within and uses the public right-of-way directly adjacent to a food service establishment street frontage. The Streetary program includes guidelines, requirements, and operational regulations for outdoor dining in the public right-of-way, including on sidewalks and in public parking spaces on the side of the street or in public parking lots.

The Streetary program intends to:

1. Activate the public realm in Downtown Menlo Park and other commercial areas.
2. Maintain physical and visual access to Menlo Park businesses.
3. Provide safe, attractive, and accessible spaces for outdoor use.
4. Provide accessible amenity areas for private businesses during operating hours.
5. Support the economic vitality and growth of businesses and the City.

Streetary permit applications are available online.