extension and exemption of seasonal terraces, beware of noise |
Lyon continues to support restaurateurs hard hit by the health crisis. After granting them 8.2 million euros in exemptions in 2020, then the equivalent of 2 million in July, the City adopted in municipal council, this Thursday, September 30, a new exemption from the royalty of seasonal terraces which are extended until the end of the year. The issue of noise was invited into the discussions.
While winter usually marks the farewell to the seasonal terraces that occupy the city’s sidewalks and parking spaces, from early March to early November, this year these ephemeral amenities will remain in place until the end of December. A choice that the deputy mayor of Lyon, Valentin Lungenstrass, justified this Thursday, September 30 in city council by the need “to allow meetings outside as much as possible, while the risks of contamination are higher inside“.
Read also: Lyon: traders benefit from new exemptions, especially on terraces
In this regard, the environmental majority presented to the vote a deliberation aimed at “exempt these additional months for the businesses concerned“. A measure adopted unanimously by the council and which comes in addition to the aid already to restaurateurs and already to traders with, in particular, an exemption of 8.2 million granted in 2020 and a second voted in July 2021, which would represent a loss of 2 million euros for the city.
Enforce tranquility
The initiative was triggered by the opposition and in particular by Gérard Collomb’s protégé, Yann Cucherat, from the Pour Lyon group, who did not fail to recall the need for such an action, before issuing some reservations concerning the tranquility of the night. The elected official challenged Valentin Lungenstrass in particular on the need to enforce the closure of the terraces at 10 p.m. and to control the noise pollution generated by the establishments.
“We must also keep our inhabitants in the heart of the city so as not to ensure that our neighborhoods become museums. Everyone must be able to sleep peacefully”, Yann Cucherat elected from the Pour Lyon group
“You have to find the right balance between the nightlife of a big city like Lyon, necessary and normal, and tranquility. and the safety of residents. Because we must also keep our inhabitants in the heart of the city so as not to ensure that our neighborhoods become museums. Everyone should be able to sleep peacefully “, he said. A sensitive subject while in recent weeks many inhabitants of the arrondissements of the Presqu’île, in particular, but also of the 4th arrondissement, have complained of an increase in noise pollution, due to the extension of the terraces since the deconfinement.
Consultation to update the rules for terraces
The elected member of the Pour Lyon group seemed particularly skeptical about the use, according to him insufficient, of a network of “fallers“which would be deployed by restaurateurs and owners of bars, nightclubs. To which the deputy mayor of Lyon replied that”indeed there is a real balance to be found on the occupation of the public domain and in particular on the subject of tranquility. It must be guaranteed when the evening advances over a certain number of spaces“. In this regard, according to him,”the Lyon night council monitors a number of establishments which may be subject to sanctions at different levels. And then the municipal police conduct checks“.
Read also: Lyon: the town hall is considering a new network of “fallers”
In addition, he recalled that a consultation must be held in the coming months on the subject of updating the regulation of terraces, where it should be a question of “clarify a number of things on peace, controls and penalties and this will certainly be the subject of consultation with professionals and residents“.