The City of Pasadena has launched an expedited permit and plan-check process to reopen dining and retail establishments to comply with COVID-19 protocols.

As the City businesses reopen, social distancing is a major consideration for retailers, and restaurants which will be able to expand dining areas to outdoors.

The expedited permits and plan-check processes are now available through an online application portal.

Through the portal, restaurants and retail businesses can apply for express plan checks for structural and non-structural tenant improvements, administrative conditional use permits for alcohol sales, expedited design reviews for qualified retail and restaurants, and temporary outdoor dining permits.

 The new modified code regulations and processes allow for:

• Qualified restaurants seeking to temporarily expand their dining areas outdoors may be permitted to do so within an immediately adjacent sidewalk, alley or parking lot area. 

• Necessary design approvals for the temporary outdoor dining areas may also qualify for a three-day expedited review. 

• Qualified dining and retail establishments will now be able to obtain tenant improvement permits in as little as one-day for non-structural alterations and five-days for larger tenant improvements. 

• Eligible existing restaurants seeking to serve alcohol as well as certain new restaurants seeking to serve alcohol can apply for an administrative Conditional Use Permit, which will be processed in as little as five days.

The online application portal has been created to facilitate submittal of these applications and to ensure streamlined departmental review within the expedited timeliness. To learn more about these temporary regulations and processes, or to submit an online application, visit http://www.cityofpasadena.net/reopening-permits. 

Visit us online at www.cityofpasadena.net; follow us on Twitter at @PasadenaGov, and Instagram and Facebook at @CityOfPasadena; or call the Citizen Service Center, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at (626) 744-7311.