Temporary Outdoor Dining Parklets were an item on last night’s Council Meeting agenda. The recommendations for this item were informed by a community engagement project managed by a third party consultancy throughout May. Feedback about the parklets was sought from businesses with parklets, businesses nearby to parklets, residents and visitors to Banyule.
This agenda item garnered a lot of interest and positive commentary from councillors during the meeting. Other speakers to the item were:
- John Mihailidis
- Written statements were read on behalf of Maryanne Coffey, Emilia Lakhi and Ragheb Heep el-Bay
- A pre-recorded video was played of David Dzanovski speaking to the item.
At the meeting, Council resolved to:
- Extend the seven temporary outdoor dining parklets in Banyule to 30 June 2022
- Seek an extension of the Memorandum of Authorisation (MOA) from the Department of Transport (DoT) to facilitate the use of the parklets to 30 June 2022.
- Waive the permit fees for Tables and Chairs and Display of Goods (which includes extended outdoor dining) for the 2021/22 financial year
- Engage with key stakeholders including Trader Associations, DoT, shoppers and residents to evaluate the parklets over the next 12 months.
In recent weeks, local councils in Victoria have been urged by the State Government to continue to support hospitality and entertainment businesses by extending temporary outdoor dining. The decision by Council on Monday night follows this directive and delivers on the findings of the community engagement project. While Council will continue to support hospitality and entertainment businesses through extending temporary outdoor dining, we will also offer support to other businesses in Banyule through initiatives and programs to assist with recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.