Downtown Palo Alto could soon get its own outdoor drinking zone. A report from City Manager Ed Shikada's office proposes an “entertainment zone” on the car-free stretch of Ramona Street between University and Hamilton avenues, Palo Alto Online reports. The council's Economic Development Committee is scheduled to discuss it Nov. 4, and after that it would go to the full City Council for approval.
How it would work
As on California Avenue, people and organizations could apply for special permits to allow outdoor drinking during designated events. It would not be an everyday open-container rule. Participating merchants would use clear cups and stay within the zone's hours: noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. The zone would also cover the sidewalk between the Wine Room and Forest Spa Boutique. The city says the goal is to enable “more flexible, creative event formats on the car-free portion of Ramona Street.”
How Cal Ave. has gone
The Ramona idea first came up in March. Council member George Lu suggested adding a piece of Ramona Street to the entertainment zone ordinance the city was writing for Cal Ave., the Palo Alto Daily Post reported. The Cal Ave. rules, allowed under the state law SB 969, ban glass and metal containers and require wristbands after an ID check. According to the new report, the city has turned on the Cal Ave. zone five times, and most people who answered a city survey said they were likely to come to future events and rated their experience good or excellent.