CCMIN 08172021 - Laserfiche WebLink

Ms. Ott reported the Temporary Pop-up Program was instituted at the end of 2020 when the Weekend on Main season ended to continue support for restaurants by allowing them outdoor space for operations when they could not indoors. They were allowed to stay in place during the 2021 Weekend on Main street closures. The City Council extended the program through the end of 2021. The City Council requested at the last meeting to discuss the September 6 end date and whether to extend it. Ms. Ott reported an increase in commute and personal travel, with some intersections nearing their pre-COVID volumes. Another consideration is the rerouting of deliveries onto side streets that were never intended to accommodate delivery trucks. She advised there are other downtown events and activities that PDA discussed returning to the community but having them at the same time as Weekend on Main puts pressure on the downtown and surrounding residential areas to accommodate the additional parking and traffic. Ms. Ott advised the direct cost to the City is $125,000 per season and a vendor is hired to move all the barricades and ensure the streets are safely closed and reopened every weekend. She explained the Pleasanton Police Department (PPD) also has to clear cars from the street so cars are not trapped. Ms. Ott advised PDA recommends the street closures end on September 6. She clarified it is not the intent that Weekend on Main goes away permanently. Staff recommends that the 2021 Weekend on Main season ends on Labor Day weekend and the 2022 Weekend on Main season resume and be incorporated into the PDA's annual events programming. In response to Councilmember Testa, Ms. Ott advised sales data will not be available until the City receives its sales tax data in the next few months. Councilmember Testa expressed concern about the investment retailers and restaurants have made to be able to offer services and dining outside. She inquired if the City is offering support for the equipment that retailers need for next year. Ms. Ott advised temporary pop-ups are still in place through the end of the year so they will still use that equipment. City Manager Fialho advised staff would be happy to work with restaurants to help them find a storage solution but has concerns about storing private property on City property and is worried about damage or injury in the process. In response to Councilmember Arkin's inquiries, Ms. Ott advised the City cannot give sales tax revenue data specific to an individual business due to confidentiality but can aggregate the data for downtown and across different categories. She confirmed residents who reside downtown were notified and consistently updated about Weekend on Main. In response to Councilmember Balch's inquiries, Ms. Ott advised PDA has been exploring the idea of bringing back Concerts in the Park for a shortened season this year and there may be an opportunity after the Weekend on Main season ends. Some retailers do not feel as positive about a weekly Weekend on Main and the PDA has been been working with them on some retail campaigns. In response to Councilmember Narum, Ms. Ott stated Labor Day was chosen because it feels like the traditional end of summer. In response to Mayor Brown, Ms. Ott advised staff did hear about Amador High School traffic volume right at the time of the Main Street closure. The City's Traffic Engineer is working on resolving that and she applauds the efforts of the PPD who have gone the extra mile to find car owners before their vehicles were towed due to the closure to make sure it is a positive experience for everyone. In response to Mayor Brown, Ms. Ott confirmed the PDA is looking to move Concerts in the Park to Sunday afternoons due to shorter daylight hours. Some restaurants have commented Concerts in the Park on Fridays do not work for them and this is an opportunity to mitigate that. Pleasanton's retailers City Council Minutes Page 9 of 12 August 17. 2021