Houston may allow restaurant owners to convert parking lots to outdoor dining areas

Restaurants in Houston, currently limited by 50% indoor capacity limits, may soon be able to serve diners in parking lots to accommodate more guests.

Pending a vote by Houston City Council, a “More Spaces” plan developed by Houston’s Chief Transportation Officer David Fields would allow restaurants to convert 50% of off-street parking spots to dining spaces.

The ability to make such conversions would allow restaurants to serve more guests in an open-air environment that limits the spread of the coronavirus more effectively than dining indoors, according to Centers for Disease Control guidance. The efforts mirror that of other cities, such as Austin and Atlanta.

Restaurant owners would not need to apply for the authority to do so; instead, they would file a notification with the city so that the planning department can track restaurants’ compliance with the new protocols. The proposal prohibits music in the adapted outdoor dining areas and limits closing hours to no later than midnight. Participating restaurants must also ensure that ADA-accessible parking spaces remain available.

If enacted, the policy will only remain in place under coronavirus emergency orders, but it could serve as a test period for future efforts.

"I think we could learn a lot from this pilot in the immediate term and go back out to the industry and the community and show what we have learned," Fields said.

Fields said he is also working on a separate proposal with the Houston Downtown Management District and District I Council Member Robert Gallegos to close a portion of Main Street between Congress Street and Dallas Street to allow for additional outdoor dining space. That proposal is not yet finalized, Fields told council members July 22.