Sidewalk café areas would be expanded and the season could start a month earlier under legislation to be considered by City Council.

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The governing body introduced an ordinance (O-20-23) to amend Chapter 344: Sidewalk Cafés of the city code during its April 10 regular meeting. The measure will come up for a public hearing and final adoption at City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday night.

Sidewalk café season could begin as early as April 1, rather than May 1, and run until November 1. That would include the use of parklets, temporary sidewalk extensions into an on-street parking area in the public right-of-way that front a commercial establishment and extend not more than 9 feet from the curb.

The fee for an outdoor sidewalk café license would increase from $20 to $25 per season, according to the proposed ordinance. Licenses would be issued annually starting Jan. 1 and could be renewed each year by filing an application.

The West Grand Avenue Overlay and Arts District Redevelopment  Area would be added as permitted zones, joining the CBD Redevelopment Area, B-1 Neighborhood Business Zone, and B-4 Service Business Zone. The B-5 Central Business Zone would be eliminated from the ordinance. It would appear most of the few existing B-5 zones would be swallowed up within the Arts District Redevelopment Area (downtown near Seminary Avenue and the former St. Mark’s Church property) or the CBD Redevelopment Area, which essentially comprises downtown.

The ordinance proposes that no less than 5 feet — extended from an existing 4 feet — of paved unobstructed sidewalk must remain for the “exclusive use of pedestrians,” without obstructions by any furniture or other items used in connection with the operation of the sidewalk café. “Required unobstructed sidewalks may not contain barriers, trees, grass areas, signs, utility poles or similar.”

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