City Council

(21)\n20-1074-S6\nPUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT and ECONOMIC\nDEVELOPMENT AND JOBS COMMITTEE REPORT relative to\naddressing the lack of enrollment in the permanent L.A. Al Fresco\nprogram.\nA. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT\nRecommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE\nAPPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:\n1. DIRECT the Bureau of Engineering (BOE) to continue with\nthe new service category for Al Fresco on the Virtual\nCounter system and other service platforms to\nexpeditiously assist businesses and perform a bi-monthly\nemail outreach until the new deadline on July 1, 2026, to\nbusinesses that have not transitioned their temporary\nSidewalk Dining authorization to the permanent L.A. Al\nFresco program.\n2. DIRECT the Department of Building and Safety (DBS) to\ncontinue to enhance and improve the Al Fresco ePlanLA\nmodule to achieve maximum efficiency, leading to a higher\nlevel of enrollment, and to continue to promote the\nRestaurant and Small Business Express Program.\n3. AUTHORIZE the Economic and Workforce Development\nDepartment (EWDD) to utilize funds allocated to the Jobs\nand Economic Development Incentives (JEDI) Program\npermit fee reduction incentive, currently held by DBS and\nDepartment of City Planning (DCP), to subsidize Al\nFresco-related BOE, Department of Transportation (DOT),\nand Bureau of Sanitation (BOS) permit fees for\nbusinesses located in approved JEDI Zones.\n4. AUTHORIZE the Controller to transfer $200,000 from the\nDBS Building Permit Enterprise Fund No. 48R/08,\nBalance Sheet Account No. 2222, in the following\namounts to the following departments and accounts:\na. $80,000 to the BOE Special Services Fund No.\n682/50, Account No. TBD, entitled "JEDI Program Al\nFresco Permit Reduction Incentive".\nb. $8,000 to the DOT Trust Fund No. 840/94, Account\nNo. TBD, entitled "JEDI Program Al Fresco Permit\nReduction Incentive."\nc. $112,000 to the BOS Fund No. 208/50,\nDepartmental Revenue Source Code No. 518801\nMiscellaneous Revenue-Others.\n5. DIRECT the EWDD, BOE, DOT, and BOS to establish\npolicies and procedures for eligibility for the JEDI Program\npermit fee reduction incentive for Al Fresco businesses\nlocated in approved JEDI Zones.\n6. INSTRUCT the BOE, with assistance from the DOT, DBS,\nDCP, EWDD, and BOS, to report with recommendations to\npotentially consolidate Al Fresco program components\nand functions, such as inspections, clearances, and\ncompliance responsibilities across fewer departments and\nbureaus, and explore the feasibility of creating a task force\nto streamline internal City processes.\nB. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS COMMITTEE\nREPORT\nRecommendations for Council action, SUBJECT TO THE\nAPPROVAL OF THE MAYOR:\nCONCUR with the recommendations of the Public Works\nCommittee with the following additional recommendation:\nINSTRUCT the Los Angeles Fire Department, and any other\nrelevant departments, to report on the fire and safety\nrequirements necessary for outdoor dining structures to be\neligible under the City's Al Fresco Program. The report should\nassess existing outdoor dining structures established during the\nCOVID-19 emergency that did not obtain formal Al Fresco\npermits, and identify: the key compliance gaps preventing these\nestablishments from meeting current standards; the fire safety\nrisks associated with non-compliant structures; and feasible\npathways, including potential modifications, phased compliance\noptions, or alternative safety standards, that would enable these\nbusinesses to come into compliance without undue financial or\noperational burden.\nFiscal Impact Statement: Not applicable