San Jose Al Fresco' program launched to allow businesses to expand operating space

The City of San Jose is temporarily relaxing existing regulations to allow the use of outdoor areas next to businesses. The initiative was created through an emergency declaration signed on June 4, 2020. Under the relaxed rules, many businesses without existing permits for outdoor operations or seating can register free of charge to expand their operations outside in privately owned outdoor areas, such as a parking lot, and use public sidewalks for temporary seating. The temporary rules go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2020 and last through Dec. 31, 2020, unless the local emergency ends earlier or the city reinstates existing regulations.