In a prior column, I wrote about taking advantage of the great San Jose weather by having events at City Hall Plaza or at the Circle of Palms. At last week’s city council meeting, there was an item that pertained to sidewalk cafes at night. I support outside settings and made a motion at the meeting proposing to extend hours at sidewalk cafes until 2 a.m. A majority of the council supported the motion.
My background and observations of downtown led me to propose the extension. I graduated from SJSU and lived downtown for ten years. I worked in the restaurant industry as a waiter and bartender for 20 years. I worked nights at restaurants even though I had a full time job during the day after college.
Since being on the council, I have attended many meetings on downtown nightlife chaired by my council colleagues Liccardo and Williams. In addition, I spent many evenings observing downtown on foot—many times with police, and alone at other times, mixing in with the crowds (picture “Where’s Waldo?”).
I believe most of the problems downtown are not caused by patrons, but, rather, people who do not spend money in our establishments and linger around on the streets. They might be kids who should be at home out tagging property, or drug dealers who hang out at fast food restaurants. Every major city has this element, and until we have caning for graffiti or public hanging for drug dealing, it will always be around. Downtown also continues to get negative PR on days like Cinco de Mayo and Fat Tuesday, mostly because of troublemakers from out of town.
I believe sidewalk cafes, with certain restrictions, will work well and enliven the downtown. Having a partitioned area with people just standing around leads to a big fraternity party. However, having tables and chairs that restrict customers to being seated will provide a spacious and relaxed environment. I am sure bar owners would like to allow more people out on the sidewalk area, but that will not be allowed. And if owners do not follow the rules, the police will have justification to remove the privilege of the sidewalk café.
In addition, limiting the number of people outside reduces noise. Requiring food service is also a good rule. I have been to countless sidewalk cafes locally, nationally and internationally where ordering food is mandatory, and then you have the choice of “hanging out” after eating.
The police will still retain the right to close down problem venues. Having a sidewalk café is a privilege and not a right. Give the proprietors a chance. If customers violate the law by passing a drink to someone out on the sidewalk or to a minor, then they should be punished accordingly. Restaurant occupancy does not change with the sidewalk café. I believe police walking the downtown beat will have an easier time observing behavior outside on the sidewalk instead of having to enter an establishment.
This is a small but important change for a city of 989,000. Please look out for and patronize sidewalk cafes this summer.
Speaking to Police officers, and history being a guide, they believe that once BART gets to downtown San Jose, the influx of troublemakers from out of town is going to skyrocket.
Many of the drug dealers they arrest in the Post Alley area are already from out of the area. They come into San Jose because there is no “drug turf war” yet.
#2
Although I am against BART to San Jose (it makes zero sense), the idea that drug dealers, thugs, and lowlifes will use BART makes even less sense. Nothing like engaging in criminal behaviour and then having to wait for the next train to make your escape.
And how about our ex-Mayor buying the cocktail venue that has been responsible for so many police calls over the past several years? Since the Council can’t seem to clean things up with the thug clubs, somebody had to step in and get the ball rolling.
I’m glad the Council sees the wisdom in allowing for more sidewalk seating more of the time. It’s a start towards taking back the downtown.
#3-“Nothing like engaging in criminal behavior and then having to wait for the next train to make your escape.”
Have you ever seen, “America’s Dumbest Criminals?” It is not only possible they’d do what Nexis said; it is more than likely they will!
Nexis,
So do a lot of troublemakers use BART to get to Union $quare/SF? Last time I checked, Union $quare was doing just fine, with BART acting as a strong catalyst for positive growth/development. Mr. Oliverio, excellent article, from one SJSU alumn to another. Keep up the excellent job at City Hall and help get our downtown going!
I agree with you however please do not publicly fund the sidewalk cafes. The private owner should fund it.
In Boise, there are 60 bars & clubs with outdoor seating and no problemo. People in Boise behave when they’re partying. There are no thugs in downtown Boise. Maybe, it can work in San Jo.
Until San Jose can hold public events without closing down the streets so people can’t even get into their homes, the hopes for downtown are dim. San Jose is a long way from being a big city. It has its moments but it has yet to show it can play with the big kids.
Overall it sounds like a good idea. I think it will take a lot of PR until those who have been soured by the downtown nightlife scene are comfortable enough to come downtown and feel they can be relatively safe and are not subjected to drunk idiots from the other clubs while they dine outside.
Union Square has been doing just fine before BART came to San Francisco.
BART to San Francisco from the East Bay is busy because San Francisco has jobs. Alameda County`s department of Economic Development has a graph that shows the whole story, jobs in Alameda County have been on the decline for three years.
#3, Evidence has shown that rapid transit corridors bring in crime, and the cops know this much better than you. Many studies have shown this to be the case. Criminal entrprises will be sending people into San Jose via BART. These facts are irrefutable. The drug busts for street dealers in downtown already show the out of town element.
Crazy as it may seem, it’s business. No turf wars yet, and with BART, easy access. Just ask any seasoned cop.
#11. How can you possible compare BART to DT SJ entertainment District to Union Square? When was the last time a shooting/murder happened blocks from Union Square? How far are the drug deals from Union Square?
Sidewalk cafe`s,Al Fresco Cafe`s are a good thing and they give the city a sense of hospitality. Most Liquor licences issued by the California today are Type 47A which specify that the establishment must serve food if the licence is to be issued. The reason is, the 47A licence brings a differant elerment to the drinking crowd.
Al Fresco dinning is very popular in major American Cities and all over Europe. We have the perfect weather. This brings a good vibrant downtown crowd.
allowing DT businesses to add sidewalk cafes are a great idea. I’m glad you supported the proposal. You did it for all the right reasons Pierluigi. Can anyone think of some idea to keep moving DT San Jose in the right direction?
Correlation is not causation. We cannot allow ourselves to turn down transit and other city improvements simply because it helps ‘bad people’ as much as it helps ‘good people’.
That’s like blaming 9/11 on the internet.
“caning for graffiti or public hanging for drug dealing”? What’s all this about Mr Oliverio? Why do you suggest that Mr? Oliverio and a lot of this folks always sound real racist.
BART BART BART
BART is a political issue! There is a great deal of political and insider money behind this issue. It`s backers, endorcers,insiders, have invested big money behind BART to the east bay project at the expense of the Santa Clara County taxpayers.
Just look at the map of the proposed BART route to the east bay ans plot the spots where endorcers,insiders, and big money own property, property they have owned for some time. Their purpose of supporting BART has nothing to do with our benefit but, has a lot to do with the increase of property values these people will realize if BART is built.It`s all about their financial gain, kind of self servant. It`s about property gains in value,investor talk is property values will triple in value along the BART route.
East bay property has been very inexpensive for a long time.
These investors have lined up all types of political support.They have done their homework.
This BART line is “not” rapid transit. There are too many stops along the BART route,as it winds its way from Warm Springs to Milpitas, to Berryessa through downtown San Jose and Santa Clara and back to Fremont. There is no third or forth track to make it rapid transit. This is another rail system moving slowly through downtown San Jose.
Builders, developers of the Intermodal Stations along the BART route stand to make huge projects when this system is built and they have already lined up political support.
We need a comprehensive transportation program here in Santa Clara County that will help us relieve our County wide Grid Locks on 85,237,280,191,87. BART to the east bay does not relieve our traffic problems in our county. If BART is built all other VTA projects will fail, BART will brake the bank. VTA needs to re-think their plans to solve traffic conjestion here.
I like the canning idea! I agree that these kids that are out scribing windows and tagging buildings, are costing the city and private business owners a lot of money. We need stricter laws for these idiots!
Although severe penalties like caning would likely bring graffiti to a screeching halt around these parts, I did not interpret what the Councilman stated as an actual suggestion that such measures be taken on the spray paint monkeys, much as they deserve it.
Richard Zappelli makes some good points about BART to SJ. Did anyone read this editorial in the Gilroy Dispatch?
http://www.gilroydispatch.com/opinion/241890-time-to-face-reality-bart-to-san-jose-is-a-no-go