Update – Drive-throughs and Biking – Salt Lake City Council Passes Ordinance Allowing Cyclists

September 30, 2014 – UPDATE – The ordinance allowing bicyclists to use drive-through windows at any time a business is open passed the Salt Lake City Council by a vote of 5-2 this evening.

September 30, 2014 – UPDATE – the Salt Lake City Council appears to be set to vote tonight on the ordinance to allow bicyclists in drive throughs at any time. The proposed ordinance was changed to remove the requirement to allow pedestrians at drive throughs when the main lobby was closed.

Today’s Salt Lake City Council meeting starts at 7 pm in Room 315, City & County Building, 451 South State St. in Salt Lake City.

Details on the updated proposed ordinance can be found here:

http://slcdocs.com/council/agendas/2014agendas/September/Sept30/093014D1.pdf

Comments can still be submitted.

To submit comments to the Salt Lake City Council:

Call: 801-535-7600 or 801-535-7654

Email: Council Comments <[email protected]>

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July 15, 2014 – The Salt Lake City Council will consider an ordinance that allows bicyclists and pedestrians to use drivethrough windows. Currently, some businesses prevent this, leaving cyclists unable to purchase food and other goods when the lobby of the business is closed, and the drivethrough remains open. The ordinance would require businesses to serve customers whether they arrive by foot, bike, or car.

There will be a public hearing tonight, Tuesday, July 15, 2014, at the Salt Lake City Council meeting. The meeting starts at 7 pm in Room 315, City & County Building, 451 South State St. in Salt Lake City. The public is invited to speak for up to 2 minutes during the meeting. (Generally, one needs to fill out a card requesting to speak. Cards are usually just outside in the hallway.)

From Councilman Luke Garrott: Bike and pedestrian advocates, I need your help on this ordinance that the city council will be discussing this Tuesday (7/15). It’s about requiring businesses which have drive-thru services to not turn away customers who happen to arrive on foot, in a chair, or on a bike. To me, it doesn’t make sense to exclude some customers if that business is otherwise open. The ordinance gives flexibility to businesses in how they accommodate non-drivers—they can create another window, keep their lobby open, allow bikes, peds and cars to queue together, or another solution—but requires that if the restaurant is open, it needs to be accessible to all customers regardless of their mode of arrival.

Information on the ordinance can be found here: http://slcdocs.com/council/agendas/2014agendas/July/July15/071514A3C1.pdf

To submit comments to the Salt Lake City Council, attend the public meeting or:

Call: 801-535-7600 or 801-535-7654

Email: Council Comments <[email protected]>

Visit Open City Hall: http://www.slcgov.com/opencityhall?pd_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.peakdemocracy.com%2Fportals%2F79%2FForum_221%2FIssue_1590#peak_democracy

Update: Comments will be taken in the above manners until the Council votes on the ordinance. As of July 16, no date has been set for a vote. A public hearing was held on July 15, 2014. Comments will be taken at least through July 29, 2014.