August 2, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Assemblymember Proposes New Bill to Help Restaurants Maintain Outdoor Dining Amid Municipal Fees

Legislation would preempt local ordinances and preserve regulatory flexibility for struggling neighborhood restaurants

By Sam Catanzaro

A new bill proposed by California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) could offer relief to restaurants struggling to maintain outdoor dining amid new fees being imposed and proposed by municipalities including Santa Monica and Los Angeles. 

“Neighborhood restaurants are the backbone of communities across California, but too many are barely hanging on by a thread,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. “Outdoor dining has been a critical lifeline that has helped these beloved establishments keep their doors open during these challenging times.”

Assembly Bill 1217 would extend the benefits of state and local programs, such as L.A. Al Fresco, which streamlined the application process and waived fees for restaurants and bars that had to move dining outside due to indoor seating restrictions. The proposed bill would supersede city and county ordinances that require new permit applications and fees for restaurants hoping to maintain their Al Fresco program setups, offering much-needed relief to the industry.

“Outdoor dining has become an important lifeline for restaurants, and it’s something that we have all come to love and enjoy,” stated Madelyn Alfano, Past Chair of the California Restaurant Association Board of Directors and owner of Maria’s Italian Kitchen, a neighborhood Italian restaurant locations across Los Angeles including in Brentwood and Westwood. “Many restaurant owners have invested lots of money to build beautiful outdoor dining spaces to increase their capacity for private events and recoup some of their losses from these difficult past few years. AB 1217 will help sustain this crucial tool and allow local restaurants such as my own to continue to provide delicious meals for our communities.”

This new bill builds on a previous measure, AB 61, authored by Gabriel and signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2021. AB 61 allowed restaurants to have more regulatory flexibility on various issues, such as outdoor food preparation and service, using their own spaces to increase outdoor dining capacity, and serving alcohol on outdoor premises.

If passed, the proposed bill would extend current temporary relief measures, such as conditional use permits for outdoor dining expansion and parklet conversion to al fresco seating, offering more permanence to the restaurant industry amid uncertainties and additional pandemic-induced operating costs.

AB 1217 comes at a crucial time as the City of Los Angeles has proposed a new ordinance that will introduce new restrictions and fees on outdoor dining, requiring restaurants to apply for expensive new permits for existing patios. Should AB 1217 be passed, it would preempt this ordinance and help local restaurants avoid costly and confusing red tape to keep their outdoor dining operations open. Similarly, restaurants in Santa Monica have been pushing back against the new permitting officials have implemented in the city.  

“It definitely feels like it’s the end of an era right now,” said Brian Bornemann, chef and founder of sustainable seafood restaurant Crudo e Nudo on Main Street an interview with the Santa Monica Mirror last month. “It’s the opposite to helping small businesses. They’re trying to penalize you at all costs.” 

Although the bill is in its nascent stages, Gabriel expects a hearing in the coming weeks. Should the bill pass the assembly, it could be moved to Gov. Gavin Newsom around September, with the governor determining whether to sign the bill and others into law during the fall.

Related Posts

LAPD Honors Sgt. Shiou Deng as ‘Gold Standard of Selflessness’ at Memorial Service

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Veteran Officer Remembered After Being Killed While Aiding Crash Victims in Brentwood Family, colleagues, and fellow officers gathered Thursday morning...

1,000 Additional National Guard Troops Withdrawn From LA as Federal Presence Continues to Shrink

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

National Guard Presence in Los Angeles Slashed Again Amid Ongoing Rollback Roughly an additional 1,000 National Guard troops have been...

Luxury Watches Stolen From Keanu Reeves Recovered in Chile, To Be Returned to Actor

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Six Rolex Watches Worth Over $120,000 Were Seized in Santiago Police Raid Six high-end watches stolen from actor Keanu Reeves’...

Aging Mindfully: Zen-Inspired Senior Living Takes Shape in Simi Valley

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Two Zen-inspired senior living communities are embracing the reality of aging — consciously. Ensō Village, open since 2023 in Sonoma County,...

Lulu Hosts Summer Tardeada With Guest Chef From Oakland’s Bombera

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros Joins Alice Waters for a Courtyard Celebration Lulu, the acclaimed restaurant located at the Hammer Museum, will...

Film Review: Together

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

By Dolores Quintana Dave Franco and Alison Brie, a married couple in real life, star in Michael Shanks’ gruesomely passionate...

Heidi Klum’s Tropical Erewhon Smoothie Drops Just in Time for Summer

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Supermodel’s Limited-Edition Drink Blends Kiwi, Coconut, and Matcha Erewhon has debuted its newest celebrity smoothie collaboration, this time with supermodel...

The Getty Unveils Trellis Bar & Lounge: Sip Art-Inspired Cocktails with a Gorgeous View

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

New Alfresco Experience Offers Seasonal Drinks, Light Bites, and Stunning Architecture Visitors to the Getty Center can now unwind with...

New Beginnings in Brentwood: Dr. Marian Oppenheimer Opens Private Psychology Practice at wellpeople

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

For more than 30 years, Dr. Marian Oppenheimer has dedicated herself to one clear purpose: helping people heal, grow, and...

Westchester Del Rey Stuns Tucson With 11-Run Inning to Reach World Series

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Westside Team Heads to Greenville, North Carolina to Compete for Glory  Westchester Del Rey Little League is headed to the...

UCLA Agrees to $6.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Discrimination During Campus Protests

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Faculty Group Argued Protest Wasn’t Antisemitic; Judge Approval Still Pending UCLA will pay more than $6 million to settle a...

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Los Angeles Coast After 8.7 Quake Near Russia

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Strong Currents, Surges Expected; Residents Urged to Avoid Beaches and Harbors Update from NWS Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. “Latest...

Brazen Wheel Thieves Hit Beverly Grove, Hollywood Neighborhoods

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Early-Morning Thefts Leave Cars on Blocks; Residents Coordinate  Los Angeles police are investigating a growing number of wheel thefts reported...

Brentwood Weekly Crime Report:  July 7, 2025 – July 27, 2025

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

LAPD Confirms Fatal Stabbing Among 12 Reported Incidents Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk has resumed crime reporting duties following a...

Second Grenade Still Missing After Blast That Killed Three LA Sheriff’s Detectives

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Only One Grenade Exploded; The Second Device Has Vanished Authorities said Friday that one of two grenades recovered last week...