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15 <br /> THE CITY OF <br /> :11 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT <br /> PLEASANTO\ <br /> February 15, 2022 <br /> Economic Development <br /> TITLE: APPROVE FRAMEWORK AND ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR <br /> WEEKEND ON MAIN STREET CLOSURE PROGRAM IN DOWNTOWN <br /> PLEASANTON AND ALLOCATE $100,000 EVENT SPONSORSHIP TO <br /> PLEASANTON DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION FOR 2022 PROGRAMMING <br /> SUMMARY <br /> The Weekend on Main street closures program was introduced by the City in 2020, with <br /> support from the Pleasanton Downtown Association (PDA), to provide outdoor space for <br /> downtown merchants to expand their operations while indoor operations were restricted <br /> due to County and State health orders, as well as to draw residents to downtown while <br /> maintaining social distancing during COVID. In 2020 the street closures took place each <br /> weekend between June 19 and November 1; in 2021 the program ran each weekend <br /> from April 30 through September 6. Both Weekend on Main seasons were well-received <br /> by the community and helped to bring much-needed activity into the downtown during <br /> the pandemic; however, merchants' experiences were mixed. <br /> At its August 17, 2021, meeting, the City Council discussed the Weekend on Main <br /> closures and directed staff to collaborate with the PDA to develop a program framework <br /> for future years that balanced the varied interests of downtown merchants as well as <br /> those of the community. Based on that effort, in 2022 the Weekend on Main street <br /> closures would be scheduled for the first weekend (Friday late afternoon through Sunday <br /> evening) of each month from May through October, or through December as recommend <br /> by the PDA, as part of PDA's annual downtown events schedule. To bring additional <br /> benefit to downtown merchants and the community, each of the monthly weekend <br /> closures would offer activity/programming during the day on Saturday. Given that PDA's <br /> revenues are significantly reduced due to COVID impacts, a City sponsorship of the <br /> 2022 event series of $100,000 would substantially assist the PDA in delivering this <br /> enhanced programming. <br /> STAFF RECOMMENDATION <br /> Staff recommends the City Council approve the Weekend on Main monthly framework to <br /> be incorporated into the Pleasanton Downtown Association's annual events schedule <br /> beginning in May 2022 including estimated expenses for the street closures, and allocate <br /> $100,000 from the Business Support Fund to Pleasanton Downtown Association for event <br /> sponsorship for 2022 programming. <br /> FINANCIAL STATEMENT <br /> The 2022 Weekend on Main street closures would generate direct expenses of <br /> approximately $118,000 to the City, including contracting with a vendor for barricade <br />