1 Vernice Hankins
From: Josiah Citrin <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2022 11:21 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Parklet
EXTERNAL
Hi
I am writing to let you know that I think the cost for the parklets fees with the sewer connection fee is very high and puts us small restaurants in a difficult place to come up with the funds to support it. The costs for the parklets should be fair for both the Restaurant owners and the city.
Thank you for listening
Josiah Citrin
Augies on Main
“In Pursuit of Excellence”
Item 4.B
09/27/22
1 of 2 Item 4.B
09/27/22
independenthospitality.org
[email protected]
[email protected]
Via Email 27 September 2022
To the Santa Monica City Council
Mayor Sue Himmelrich
Mayor Pro Tem Kristin McCowan
Councilmember Lana Negrete
Councilmember Gelam Davis
Councilmember Phil Brock
Councilmember Christine Parra
Councilmember Oscar De La Torre
Re: Item #4 (B) 1. Permanent Parklet / Outdoor Dining transition Dear honorable Members of the City Council
The Independent Hospitality Coalition (IHC) represents over 1,200 members comprised of local food service operators and employees within the Los Angeles area. We were created to provide a voice and representation for our workforce and essential businesses ingrained in the local economy of Los Angeles.
We are writing to provide comment on Item #4 (B) 1 listed for today, September 27th meeting agenda, hearing an update on the Permanent Parklet and Outdoor Dining Transition. We are asking to please consider eliminating or finding reasonable alternatives to the wastewater fees being imposed on restaurants transitioning to a permanent program. We ask that more equitable solutions are investigated before these current $1,359.49 per seat wastewater fees are required of us.
It has become apparent in cities throughout California that Al Fresco programs have become an asset to communities.
They have provided several benefits to our neighborhoods consistent with a more walkable and local ecosystem friendly environment. They put more eyes on the streets increasing public safety for a safer walk home.
The program has been a huge success - not only helping hospitality businesses survive through the worst periods of the pandemic but also helping us recover our losses that have accumulated over the past two years. In addition, it has brought Main Street back to life. We see new businesses open every day and hear about many more to come. As a business owner, I understand the need to collect fees on these parklets. However, asking restaurants to pay $1,359.49 per seat for wastewater fees is extraneous and onerous. For a small restaurant that has 20 seats on an outdoor patio, that's almost $30K in wastewater permit fees alone.
Restaurants do not function with high margins. Our costs continue to rise each day. The price of something as simple as eggs has more than tripled since 2020. Healthcare costs have increased over 40% for us this year. We have struggled to not dramatically increase prices and as a result have taken a hit to our bottom line. If we were required to pay these fees, we would have to choose between operating our outdoor patio or increasing our prices dramatically.
Neither of these options would be a benefit to the neighborhood. We are so proud to be a part of the Santa Monica Main Street community and want to help continue to build Main Street, but these fees are really crushing to our businesses.
Please make decisions that will not force us to close their outdoor patios. We ask to work together with you on this issue to preserve the luster of what Main Street has become.
Sincerely,
Ann Hsing
[email protected]
908.229.0315.
Eddie Navarrette
[email protected]
213.545.2620.
Item 4.B
09/27/22
2 of 2 Item 4.B
09/27/22