The Department of Urban Planning is going to dictate in an extraordinary way a package of palliative measures that allow to favor, as far as possible, the activity of the terrace regime in the hotel sector of this town during the winter season due to the economic consequences caused by the COVID-19 crisis.The conditions of extraordinary incidence of this crisis in Totana have been causing a greater impact on the hospitality industry of this municipality with respect to sectors and areas of the regional scope, which forces to establish concrete measures to support the sector taking into account the imminent arrival of winter and the continuity of the pandemic.In this way, the Totanero Council advocates to encourage the placement of new watchmen on parking areas on the road for activities that do not have a prior terrace license.For this, the obligation to place attached flooring will not be required, however, applicants being obliged to comply with the provisions of article 5 of the current ordinance regarding the placement of pedestrian protection railings that have reflector elements, setbacks, and so on.At present, according to the norm, it could be required for the watchmen located on the road, on parking areas adjacent to road traffic, the placement of an attached platform and at the same height as the sidewalk and on the parking area contiguous.By virtue of the municipal decision to help the sector, the installation of said platform can now be exempted.
Thus, this circumstance will include the pedestal areas derived from the extension granted to previously existing hotel terraces that are on the road.This point will be in force for the rest of 2020 and the first terrace request period of 2021: that is, until May 31, 2021, date from which the Totana City Council may be empowered to require the conditions general rules marked in the ordinance for the watchmen located on the road.In the same way, the enclosure of the vertical surfaces of the perimeter of the awnings, as well as the covering or enclosure of the terrace area with any type of material, is authorized, in general, and must be supported by light and removable structures and adequately protected by other means.This circumstance will be allowed as long as its placement is requested in writing to the Totana City Council, being authorized after a report from the municipal technical services.In addition, in no case may more than two vertical paraments act as an enclosure on the terrace, and it must be properly ventilated to minimize the possible effects of the spread of the coronavirus.This point will be in force, except for major causes, until March 31, 2021, and all coverings that are not expressly regulated in the general conditions of the ordinance in force at that time must be removed.Until now, the norm included the prohibition of enclosing the vertical surfaces of the perimeter of the awnings, as well as covering or enclosing the terrace area with any type of material, even if they were supported by light and removable structures, and they must be adequately protected by other means.
