Downtown Restaurant Seeks Sidewalk Cafe Approval

Two weeks after the City Council approved sidewalk cafe licenses for four Portsmouth restaurants, another downtown eatery hopes to have its application approved when the council meets Monday night.

According to city documents, The District wants to offer its patrons sidewalk cafe with alcohol service again. The council is scheduled to vote on its application when it meets at City Hall on Monday at 7 p.m.

If approved, The District would join Surf, Ri Ra, Popovers on the Square and State Street Saloon which had their sidewalk cafe applications approved by the council earlier this month.

The council will accept written applications for the city's one remaining outdoor dining slots until May 1.

According to the city's outdoor dining policy, licenses are granted on an annual basis for a six-month period from mid-April through mid-October. The city will charge businesses a $10 per square foot fee for the area used for outdoor dining and the minimum fee would be $2,000, even if the size of the area is less than 200 square feet.

In Market Square, the policy states the minimum width for the pedestrian way adjacent to the area shall be 10- to 12- feet depending on the site conditions. In all other areas where sidewalk cafes are allowed, the minimum width for pedestrian ways adjacent to the area shall be a minimum of 5 feet and meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. The policy also calls for no smoking and no outdoor music.