Sidewalk Café Issues: Now’s the Time to Speak Up

Local restaurants will soon receive an application to renew their outdoor patio permits, and area aldermen are not only encouraging owners to submit the paperwork on time, but residents to speak up.

Each year businesses are required to reapply for a new sidewalk café permit that allows them to seat people outdoors. There are 108 outdoor cafes within the portions of the Chicago Police Department's 18th and 19th districts that fall in the 32nd and 43rd wards, according to city data. Those areas encompass Lincoln Park, though some Lake View businesses may be included in that 100, as well.

After the extremely mild winter Chicagoans experienced in early 2012, neighboring Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) wants business owners to act soon in preparation for a potential repeat.

“The application process takes 30-60 days,” wrote Tunney in his latest newsletter. “In light of the warm winter we experienced this year, please anticipate submitting your application for renewal in early January to ensure you are permitted and ready to open mid-March.”

However, according to neighborhood officials, this also marks the time residents should speak up about potential problems with a restaurant’s sidewalk café.

"In certain areas of the ward, neighborhood groups have requested that their membership review new or modified sidewalk cafes," said a statement on 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack's website. "In such cases, a business will have to obtain the neighborhood group’s approval prior to receiving the Alderman’s signature on their application."

The 32nd Ward office will notify those applicants needing to seek approval from their neighborhood group, Waguespack says.

The same policy applies to those in other wards, including the 43rd, which is covered by Ald. Michele Smith.

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Ald. Tunney’s Office Director Denise Poelsterl says she hears about issues regarding sidewalk cafés, not just during this renewal period, but all year long. 

“I think the biggest issue is clearance,” Poelsterl said. “You have to have at least six feet of clearance, but because these fences can’t be bolted to the sidewalk, they tend to float around causing some congestion for people walking. So we need to make sure the clearance is right and that the cafés are following the rules.”

Neighbors can voice concerns by e-mailing Lincoln Park's ward offices directly at ward43@cityofchicago.org or ward32@cityofchicago.org. Unless the complaint is substantial, however, don’t expect to see any changes.

“We encourage our businesses to work with communities to address concerns,” Poelsterl said. “I’ve been here many years and I’ve never had (a sidewalk café permit) be denied renewal.”

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