Concord Makes it Easier for Restaurants, Businesses to Expand Outdoor Spaces
City ordinance eases restrictions on local businesses
Concord, Calif. (June 12, 2020) -- The Concord City Council on Tuesday night adopted an urgency ordinance approving the Concord Forward Action Plan, which authorizes the temporary suspension of certain municipal codes and temporarily waives some fees in an effort to support local businesses that have been impacted by the months-long shelter-in-place order.
Due to the extraordinary circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic hardship on the local economy, the City of Concord created a business-focused Action Plan to help facilitate Concord’s economic recovery.
“Businesses throughout our community have really suffered as a result of the necessary but lengthy closures,” said Mayor Tim McGallian. “Concord, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Visit Concord, worked quickly to implement several programs to assist local businesses, and this action plan is the next phase in that process. We are eager to see our business community thrive once again.”
With Contra Costa Health Services lifting restrictions on outdoor dining (effective June 5) and indoor dining (expected July 1), local restaurants are expected to reopen quickly but must adhere to the requirements around social/physical distancing.
Through its new Action Plan, the City is implementing proactive measures that will streamline temporary use permits to allow for expanded outdoor dining and retailing, provide for the opportunity to close streets on a case-by-case basis and/or use public sidewalks, parking spaces or public right-of-way to create appropriate physical distancing space for restaurant, retailer and business use.
Concord’s Economic Development staff is also working with business owners and business groups to develop and facilitate special events to reactivate business areas. Working within the State and Contra Costa Health Services orders, City staff is seeking opportunities to create engaging special events in order to reconnect the community with Concord’s businesses.
In addition, Concord will continue to partner with the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County to facilitate hiring in Concord, provide business support to existing Concord companies by providing resources that will enable them to reopen more quickly and safely, and continue to promote commercial space opportunities to potential new tenants in an effort to fill any upcoming vacancies.
More information about the Action Plan and how the City of Concord is supporting local businesses is available at www.concordfirst.com/concord-forward.
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Contact:
Brian Nunnally, Business Development Manager
brian.nunnally@cityofconcord.org
(925) 671-3018
Guy Bjerke, Director of Economic Development and Base Reuse
guy.bjerke@cityofconcord.org
(925) 671-3076