Outdoor Dining
Outdoor dining programs, permits, right-of-way use
Candidate positions as stated in official meetings, side by side. Citations link to the source meeting.
In 2018, they expressed opposition to outdoor dining due to concerns about community disputes and commercialization [1][2]. In 2019, they called for clear definitions of 'outdoor dining' and rooftop dining [3]. In 2020, they raised equity concerns in the permitting process [4]. In 2021, they supported extending the outdoor dining program through Labor Day but questioned its long-term impacts [5]. In 2022, they supported forming a working group with resident representation to address the issue [6]. In 2023, they opposed the program due to fairness concerns in permit access [7]. In 2024, they supported outdoor dining but raised concerns about parking, small business impact, and cost-sharing [9][10][11]. In 2025, they remained neutral, noting state legislation's impact on local regulations [12][13].
Over time: They shifted from opposition in 2018 [1][2] to support in 2021 [5] and 2024 [9][10][11], before returning to opposition in 2023 [7].
In 2018, David Lesser supported tools to address resident concerns related to dining regulations but opposed an outright ban [1]. In 2022, he supported temporary outdoor dining measures to aid small businesses [2] and defended pandemic-era fee adjustments [3]. In 2023, he supported including residential impacts in the outdoor dining study and council oversight [5]. In 2024, he opposed a pilot program, prioritizing infrastructure funding over private benefits [6].
Over time: David Lesser shifted from supporting temporary outdoor dining measures in 2022 [2] to opposing a pilot program in 2024 [6].
No substantial public record on this issue in our archive.
In 2020, Richard Montgomery proposed extending outdoor dining permits until county restrictions are lifted, taking a neutral position [2]. In 2021, he supported extending dining decks through September to provide certainty for businesses [3]. By 2024, he opposed new outdoor dining projects, warning against rushing into initiatives without understanding costs and risks, citing past failures [5].
Over time: Richard Montgomery shifted from supporting outdoor dining program extensions in 2021 [3] to opposing new projects by 2024 [5].