City Council considering expansion of Parklet Program citywide

Orlando City Council voted to adopt the city’s Temporary Use Permit Parklet Program back in 2021, and it looks like they’re finally ready to do something with it.

The program launched during the pandemic as a way to formally adopt outdoor dining and encourage social distancing, while also supporting local business. The City of Orlando would pay for certain parking lots to add raised outdoor seating, often by adding a series of picnic tables to a platform that would sit flush with the adjacent sidewalk.

City Council will now be voting to expand the program outside of the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area and into the Orlando Main Street District. The CRA will no longer provide parklets to local businesses, who will now be required to pay for their own parklet, install it, operate it, and maintain it.

The updated Parklet Program will allow the existing parklets they installed during the pandemic to remain in place until December 31, 2024. After that, they will be removed by the CRA.

The parklets will come in three categories that are separated by function:

1. The first of three categories of parklets, is the Main Street Community Parklet, which functions as a new third place, serving the public and supporting businesses within the Orlando Main Street Districts. While no direct service is allowed, food and non-alcoholic beverage consumption are allowed. Main Street Community Parklets are to be owned and exclusively operated by the Main Street Districts.
2. The second parklet category, to be located in the Downtown Orlando Community
   Redevelopment Area and the Main Street Districts is the Dining Parklet, which will serve as a traditional parklet to be owned and operated by a restaurant operator as an extension of their business, with direct service of food and beverage, including alcohol, if approved.
3. The third parklet category, the Micro-mobility Parklet Station, will primarily provide
   new, “in parklet” bike and scooter parking, intended to unclutter sidewalks and other
   pedestrian areas to improve micro-mobility access and comfort. Station parklets located
   within the Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Area will be operated by the
   CRA or its designee, while those in the Orlando Main Street Districts will be operated
   by the City’s Transportation Department, or its designee.

City Council is scheduled to vote on the expansion of the program at the upcoming July 15 meeting. Read the full document below.