New Streatery Regulations

Written by Elizabeth Miller, Co-Chair, Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces 

After more than 18 months of work, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has finalized rules informed by five years of experience with the COVID-era outdoor dining program. While not every provision is welcome by all - for example, the Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces (GCPS) advocated for seasonal streateries and a ban on jersey barriers - the new regulations introduce long-overdue safety standards, compliance/enforcement requirements, and reasonable fees for the use of public space.

The restaurant industry, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), and several restaurateurs pushed back during an emergency Council Roundtable called by Councilmember Charles Allen last week. Allen told The Washington Post that if DDOT doesn’t revise its permanent guidelines, he “would take legislative action.”  Allen said this as many restaurants testified they cannot meet the city standards, the city fees are too high for them (note: city fees are significantly less than private property sqare footage costs charge to restaurants by private property owners whose properties include outdoor space) and he does not want the space to be used for parking.

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In Georgetown, we have many types of applications being submitted.  About 30 individual restaurants are applying for their specific streateries and they would need to meet city standards.  The majority of these restaurants will need to make changes to meet the standards.  Also, the Georgetown BID has applied for multiple public space permits—covering streateries, parklets, daylighting spots, bike corrals, loading zones, and bus stops—and will continue to manage much of the public realm along Wisconsin and M Streets. However, the BID's track record remains uneven, with ongoing complaints about aesthetics, haphazard installations, poor maintenance, and resistance to collaboration.  

The Citizens Association of Georgetown (CAG) and GCPS share several key recommendations to ensure Georgetown finally moves to a standards-based program that can evolve as community neds evolve:

1. Streateries should be reviewed by the Old Georgetown Board (OGB), like all other projects.

2. The District must implement and enforce its own rules.

3. Permits should be reviewed every 1–2 years, not granted indefinitely.  (ANC2E has been very vocal that these NOT be forever permits.)

4. Fees should reflect fair market value.

5. Existing violations must be addressed.

Outdoor dining continues to enhance our community, but the pandemic emergency is long over. It’s time to ensure restaurants follow fair, consistent standards for safety, aesthetics, and accountability.

More information can be found here and here.