Davis extends business outreach on G Street
City hopes to allow alcohol sales on rented platforms; Plus, news on pho, the Whole Foods space, Fluffy Donuts, Orangetheory and loads more
→ G Street update: The city of Davis clarified its stance on future outdoor dining and drinking on G Street, following a column I wrote last week.
On Tuesday, I spoke with Katie Yancey, Davis’ economic development director since April, and Jenny Tan, director of community engagement. They said additional efforts are being made to reach out to businesses interested in renting public space adjacent to their stores.
The G Street improvement project calls for tile platforms to be built on each side of the road between most of the section from Second to Third streets, leaving a strip down the middle for emergency vehicle access. The area has been closed to vehicle traffic since the pandemic, and the city allowed businesses to set up tables and chairs free of charge, if they followed permitted usage.
Just one business responded to a letter this spring, asking if they were interested in the outdoor space. This led city staff members to report to the City Council on July 9 that businesses weren’t interested in renting platform space. Several businesses told me they never got the letter. My colleague Bob Dunning calls it the G Street Gaffe.
Public response to that letter was directed to Public Works, so Yancey, the project lead, did not see them. After a staff member distributed letters by hand in May, “I didn’t keep a record but I did ask the person the month after to write me an engagement diary of who they talked to.”
Was she surprised by the lack of responses, especially from restaurants that already have outdoor dining setups? “It’s not our place to be surprised or not. We responded based on the information we had,” Yancey said.
Tan added, “That’s why we’re extending the process. Allowing them to let us know. There’s still opportunity for them to reach out … even after construction is done.”
Construction should begin as soon as this month, and continue until at least November. During that time, there will be no outdoor dining.
For restaurants and bars that rent space adjacent to their business, the city is making every effort to allow alcohol, Tan said. Leaders are closely following California Senate Bill 969, which would lighten restrictions for alcohol consumption in designated entertainment zones. If it becomes law, the city could modify its alcohol ordinance, and businesses selling alcohol would not need to construct fences around their outdoor dining areas.
Businesses would also be permitted to add their own furniture to the modular blocks, benches and tables the city ordered. The city hasn’t worked out a budget for the next phase of the project but additional city furniture could be added, they said.
So why is the city going ahead with construction when the business use isn’t fully determined? Yancey said, “We’re doing these things in parallel. We’re moving forward with the project because it’s a solid design for a shared civic space. It will work in parallel with the construction process. It seems like a good use of time for both of us.”
Yancey added, “We want G Street to be a vibrant hub of the community, for businesses, residents, families and students. This is really an investment in the downtown.”
The city plans a Zoom meeting from 4 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 4 to go over updates and information related to business use of the space, and furnishing guidelines. Learn more about the project on the city’s web page for the G Street Activation. A new email address for questions and concerns is GStreetActivation@cityofdavis.org.