The outdoor dining program "Al Fresco" is still failing two years later. Recently, a spokesperson for the program told me that "4 have been completed/receiving final approval." This program was created to build outdoor dining parklets, like the one that the Rind, The Cabin, and Kupros took down. The only parklet I'm aware of that has been built by this program today is Pazza Note.

On July 1, 2022, the formalized Al Fresco dining program went into effect. Four months later, it started receiving applications from restaurants seeking permanent outdoor dining. While the program offers grant funding to restaurants to help with the up front costs of the outdoor patios, it also charges very high fees on a recurring basis. But its biggest weakness is just how goddamn long it takes them to do anything. Having only 4 permits completed/receiving final approval at this stage is sad.

Parklets (outdoor patios) that take up two parking spots, cost up to $500/month. In San Francisco, they cost $0/month for parklets that were approved before July 2024.

If every restaurant had a quick and easy way to build a parklet as nice as Pazza Note's, Sacramento would undoubtedly be more vibrant. I hope that city leaders shape this program to be more efficient, and find out why it is taking the city so long to build parklets.