(City of Red Deer)

By Sheldon Spackman

Taking It Outside

Red Deer businesses embracing faster patio application process

Apr 23, 2021 | 5:20 PM

Dozens of Red Deer food establishments have taken The City up on its offer of a quicker application process in establishing an outdoor patio this season.

Erin Stuart, Inspections and Licensing Manager with The City of Red Deer, says 25 businesses from outside the downtown have submitted paperwork for a new patio; with eight applications issued so far and 17 others currently awaiting final documentation.

“In addition, there are eight businesses in the downtown who have applied for or expressed interest in a patio. I’m not able to tell you how many total patios there would be in the city, but there has been a combination of businesses who have applied for patios, ones who had existing patios and wished to make them larger, and those that did not have a patio,” explains Stuart.

She says The City modified its processes for Development and Building Permits to allow for patios to be installed immediately.

“Business owners are able to submit a waiver form for installation of their patio, allowing them to proceed with installing the patio, and giving them two weeks to submit complete applications for their permits,” says Stuart. “Those permits are then processed to ensure legislative and safety requirements are met. It was important to reduce timelines and allow the install of patios right away so that business owners could continue to run and keep their staff working.”

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However, according to Stuart, business owners must be respectful of all people accessing their site, including those with mobility challenges.

“They must also ensure they are familiar with the health restrictions, including those specific to patio facilities. If the facility has a roof, it may only have one wall,” she points out. “The City is focused on creating a culture of responding and working with our community partners and businesses to adapt and pivot to meet changing regulations. We are willing to do things differently and continue to review our processes for improvements and modernization.”

The City of Red Deer modified its permit application processes to allow for installation of patios prior to permits being issued, following discussions with the Red Deer Chamber and District Chamber of Commerce.

Interested business owners can visit www.reddeer.ca/seasonalpatios for more information and to begin the application process.