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Podcast: This Matters
Episode: CaféTO lives! The new deal for the patio program
Description: Guest: Ben Spurr, City Hall reporter CaféTO is a city program created during the pandemic to help restaurants generate business by allowing them to build patios around their establishments on sidewalks and road lanes. While it energized the city’s street culture, it also caused more traffic and congestion. As city hall created new rules and fees for it to become a permanent fixture, restaurateurs balked at what they considered extravagant costs to keep it going. It came to a head at this past week’s council meeting where the program and its future was debated.