A meeting was held yesterday by the Urban Planning and Citizen Security departments of the La Laguna City Council to monitor the process of rearranging restaurant terraces in the municipality. This initiative comes as a response to the lifting and completion of the suspension of several articles of the ordinance due to the health and socioeconomic crisis caused by COVID-19.
The Urban Planning Department has initiated a campaign to inspect hospitality establishments in the municipality to reiterate the purpose of these extraordinary measures. They aim to communicate the details of regulations concerning the use of public space, authorized furniture for terraces, security measures, administrative procedures, etc. 60 inspections have been carried out in the town centre, with further inspections planned in the coming weeks.
Adolfo Cordobés stressed the “importance of balancing economic activity with the well-being of residents. This involves mitigating noise, reclaiming parking spaces, and public areas. It is essential to end this exceptional situation which, three years later and with the restoration of post-pandemic normality, is no longer justifiable.”
Time frame
Cordobés called on “the goodwill and commitment of the sector to adhere to the law and the welfare of residents.” He emphasised that sanctions or the forced removal of terraces should be a last resort and that affected businesses will be given sufficient time to regularize their situation and adapt to current regulations. The mayor also announced upcoming work meetings with other relevant departments and sectors to provide a detailed update on this action and streamline the processes.
Cristina Ledesma, the Councilor for Security, highlighted “the department’s determination to enforce the ordinance for the use of public roads, while simultaneously facilitating the proper functioning of the restoration sector and ensuring road safety, particularly with regards to pedestrian traffic and vehicle access to garages on streets closed to traffic.”
The La Laguna City Council reiterated that it had adopted a series of extraordinary measures at the start of the pandemic to facilitate the installation and expansion of terraces, with the aim of supporting the hospitality industry, which was severely impacted by the crisis, and enabling safer outdoor dining.
As a result of the relaxation of the municipal Ordinance for the Regulation of the Occupation of Public Domain with Tables, Chairs and Parasols from May 2008, there has been a substantial increase in the number of terraces on the streets, leading to complaints from residents in some cases.
Consequently, the City Council has decided not to extend the suspension of the affected articles of the ordinance, as the extraordinary circumstances that warranted the suspension no longer prevail.
