Parklets and outdoor dining: a calmer experience
When San Francisco shut down most “non-essential” businesses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city became eerily quiet. Going out on an errand was like walking through a ghost town. The boarded-up storefronts and restaurants, car-free streets, and empty parking spaces on formerly bustling streets felt calm yet apocalyptic. Issues like restaurant noise seemed like a distant memory.
Enter the parklet
Fast forward to June 2020. The mayor announced that some restaurants could begin serving outdoors with “socially distanced” seating. At first the tables were placed along the sidewalk. But gradually, some businesses could use the parking space in front of their venues and create “parklets” — first with metal barriers. Then they got more creative, building sheltered parklets from wood paneling, some with flooring, latticework, greenery, and in some cases, separate cubicles for each table. They’re getting more aesthetically pleasing.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, these accommodations will only last through December. And the correct terminology is “shared spaces platforms” (not “parklets”).
Can you hear me? Yes, finally.
In my opinion, these outdoor dining spaces are an improvement from eating indoors. We’re no longer crammed into a room with tables less than six inches apart, shouting to hear each other in a 95-decibel din of voices, kitchen noise, music, and reverb. Instead, going out to eat at one of these venues means you can relax and hear each other. These outdoor spaces also bring the city back to life. I hope we can continue them and make some of them permanent.
Depending on the location, outdoor dining noise might be less intrusive to neighbors than passing cars. Although San Francisco’s relatively low-density housing is controversial, many restaurants are located in areas that are mostly retail with some apartments on the floors above. Unlike Madrid or Paris, most of our streets aren’t narrow corridors with dense, tall apartment buildings, which can create an echo cavern. So I think the outdoor dining noise doesn’t travel far. In fact it’s rather pleasant, especially after the long silence.
Bringing more din outside
However, I’ve seen some restaurants set up speakers outside, crank up the volume, and play high-energy music. It’s like a leafblower blast on their patrons. And to me, it doesn’t seem necessary. In North Beach I saw a cafe with a DJ mixing music outside. Normally I enjoy live DJs, but I’m not sure how the neighbors felt about it. The cafe faced an open area with a park, and it was near a street with lots of traffic, so maybe the noise dissipated. But it seemed like it might create the same issues you’d have inside a small venue.
In New York — which is more like Paris or Madrid than San Francisco — the outdoor noise can potentially be more obtrusive. The New York Times published “With Outdoor Dining Comes Outdoor Noise. What Can You Do?,” with no clear answer on what to do about outdoor venues during COVID.
I know these venues are struggling to stay in business and I understand that people want to be social outdoors. But how can we mitigate outdoor noise from clubs, karaoke bars, and other louder venues that impact the neighbors who live nearby? Maybe establishing earlier cutoff hours at night, and modifying the space — like adding a vertical garden or some other sound-absorbing materials will help. And take a look at the outdoor space — is it surrounded by four walls? For example, a party on the ground floor of a space that’s like an air shaft is going to impact neighbors more than in an open space.
That said, I don’t want to dine indoors at a restaurant anytime soon, even if it’s allowed. I think the repurposed parking spaces are terrific. And for me, outdoor service has temporarily solved the restaurant-noise issue. But some neighbors might not agree.
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