Monash Council has endorsed an extended outdoor dining program for the coming warmer months following consultation with both residents and traders.
City of Monash Mayor, Cr Stuart James, is excited about the new trial policy.
“Outdoor dining was embraced by our community as Victoria emerged from COVID lockdowns, however due to the rush to have these temporary spaces established coming in and out of lockdown conditions, a number of problems were identified with the temporary arrangements.”
“Building on the popularity of these spaces, a new trial Parklets on Roads Policy enables businesses to activate car parking spaces in the City of Monash where road conditions allow, partnering with Council’s existing footpath trading program to create more options for hospitality venues. It also ensures that safety issues and parking availability are assessed, and that there is uniform consistency around the quality of parklets across the municipality.”
“We know how important it is to get this right. We heard from close to 1,000 people, including 400 phone calls with Monash residents and 100 with Monash based traders, which helped to shape the trial policy. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how this trial goes over the warmer months, with further consultation to take place with traders in the program to make sure we got the policy right.
“Please get out and support our incredible hospitality businesses in Monash – whether you like to eat outdoors our indoors – there’s something for everyone,” said Cr James.
About the program
Eligible hospitality businesses can apply for a permit, with fees in line with what businesses pay for footpath trading permits. A range of safety, design and permit conditions apply.
Council will also assess the impact on existing parking provisions as part of the application process. Opportunities may be limited in some areas, such as Kingsway, due to the impact that existing construction projects are having on parking availability.
In early October information will be available on Council’s website for traders to prepare and apply for a permit. Updates will be provided via Shape Monash.
Further engagement to come
Council will contact businesses in the program before the end of the year to ask what they think about the draft Parklets on Roads Policy.
Based on this feedback and the outcomes of the trial period, Council will decide whether this policy (with any changes) will become permanent, providing hospitality businesses with the opportunity to trade (where appropriate) in car spaces for 6 or 12-month periods.
