Welcome back! I hope that you were able to enjoy the gorgeous weather we had over the Memorial Day holiday. It will be heating up soon!

This week’s post will be short, but provides some important updates including changes to some of our forms and an introduction to the Planning Communication office's summer intern.

City Council recently approved an ordinance to amend Section 12-2121 (Outdoor Seating) of the Raleigh City Code. The new ordinance will take effect this Friday, August 14. A new Outdoor Seating Application has been created and is available in the Development Services Forms Directory.

The new ordinance incorporates the City’s PUPS Handbook (Standards for Private Use of Public Spaces), and includes best practices from around the country as established by the Responsible Hospitality Institute and provisions agreed to by the Hospitality Committee.  The Hospitality Committee was established by the Law & Public Safety Committee formed with representatives from the hospitality industry from Fayetteville Street, Hillsborough Street, and Glenwood South, as well as the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Shop Local Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and one resident representative.