BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANTS -Outdoor dining platforms raise concerns

Birmingham restaurant owners say the outdoor dining platforms have brought a big boost to their sales.

“I like them,” said Matt Knio, owner of Cannella Patisserie and Creperie at 300 Hamilton Row. “It's been very good to the business. In my opinion, if it doesn't interrupt with the safety of the people, keep going and add some more.”

Others are a bit more cautious.

“We're continuously removing parking meters, which I'd say is the number one complaint when people come to Birmingham ... they like the meters,” said Mayor Pro Tem Rackeline Hoff, who opposes the platforms for safety reasons and loss of parking spaces.

The platforms are part of a recent effort on the city's part to encourage outdoor dining and bring vitality to the downtown streetscape. Few people would argue with their success to this point. Nor have there been any reported mishaps involving motorists and outdoor diners.

City Planner Jill Robinson said a total of eight platforms have been approved since the first one went up in 2008. The restaurants can keep the platforms up from May through October. Along with paying for the platforms and having them installed, the owners pay the city for use of the right-of-way and for the use of the metered space as if it were always in operation — or approximately $1,860 per season — plus the cost of removing the meter. Each platform extends partially from the sidewalk into the street and take up a single metered parking space. There are 1,312 metered spaces in the downtown business district.

“The platforms can go anywhere where a restaurant is a permitted use,” Robinson said. “However, there are specific requirements and they need to be reviewed by the Planning Board and the Advisory Parking Committee prior to installation.”

Initially, the commission indicated it would only approve the platforms if there wasn't enough space on the sidewalk to set up outdoor dining. It now appears the city will allow restaurants to provide outdoor dining on the sidewalks — plus a platform.

“I strongly disagree with that,” Commissioner George Dilgard said. “We turned down Toast — they initially wanted both outdoor dining and the platform — and the commission said they had enough room for dining on the sidewalk and disallowed the platform. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they come back.”

Dilgard raised the issue Monday during appointments to the Advisory Parking Committee, one of several boards responsible for reviewing the platform requests.