ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando City Council voted Monday to extend the life of a program that has allowed downtown businesses to expand their reach — and helped them survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program takes the form of outdoor seating and parklets, which occupy parking spaces or lots, where people can be outside and socially distanced.

In some cases, restaurant owners say the outdoor seating they’ve added as part of the program has become a part of their identity.

Now, they say they’re breathing easy knowing they’ll be able to keep the extra space, at least through August 1.

Thornton Park now boasts many local businesses with more flair than was there previously.

Morgan Trask tends bar at Burton’s, where she says the city’s approval of creating outdoor spaces in parking places has been all positive.

“The city put that in, but everybody’s putting their own little twist on it," Trask said. ". . .I think it’s a really cool thing. Especially working here for almost 4 years, I just think it adds such a good ambiance to the neighborhood.”

The measure passed Monday ensures that the downtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will continue to waive the costs associated with the creation and upkeep of the added outdoor areas through August 1. It also ensures the continuation of creativity in a time of crisis for many of these businesses, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.

 “A lot of interesting things that they came up with really helped them," Dyer said. "I’ve had a lot of restaurant owners tell me that without that added capacity, they probably wouldn’t be in business today.”

Burton’s new patio is such a crowd-pleaser, Trask said she hopes it sticks around, even after the worst of the pandemic has passed.

“I think it’s awesome," Trask said. "I think maybe one day it could be permanent, because, like I said, I haven’t really noticed anything like less parking, or any troubles with it. It’s only been positive feedback since we’ve had that. People were like, ‘Oh my god, I love it.”