Battle Ground has developed a parklet program aimed at supporting local businesses during the Safe Start plan’s phased reopening from the COVID-19 shutdown. The city announced the program Friday, the same day Clark County was cleared to move to Phase 2 of Safe Start.
Parklet programs allow restaurants to apply to temporarily use the parking spaces in front of their storefronts as expanded outdoor seating areas, sometimes with semi-permanent structures such as wooden decks and planter boxes.
The concept has been eyed as a way to help restaurants create more table space while maintaining the required distances between tables under the Safe Start rules. Vancouver recently debuted its own parklets program, dubbed Street Eats.
Battle Ground’s parklets option is available starting Friday and will run through the duration of Phases 2 and 3 of Safe Start. Businesses can learn more about the program and apply for a parklet at cityofbg.org/830/Parklet-Program.
