When Ruby Bugarin, co-owner of Pepe's Restaurant in Montrose, learned her outdoor dining permit would jump to $650 from $50, she was outraged, a feeling shared by many restaurant owners in the city.
But few business owners who would be affected by the fee hikes have been attending public outreach meetings aimed at presenting new options and getting feedback.
At the second meeting Monday morning at City Hall, just four restaurateurs were in the audience, including Bugarin. At the first meeting in March, there were just seven, even though there are currently about 70 outdoor dining permits issued.
“We were hoping for a larger number of restaurant owners,” said City Engineer Roubik Golanian.
After nearly two decades of charging a $50 fee, the city increased it to $650 to cover the direct cost of processing the outdoor-dining permits. After backlash from the business community, officials put the fee boost on hold.