On June 1, 2020, the City Council approved a one year License Agreement that allowed restaurant businesses on the Square to utilize the public areas in front their business space for outdoor dining and, if applicable, consumption of alcohol and would allow those businesses the ability for up to 2 curbside parking for to go orders. Per the agreement, the outdoor dining areas would be required to comply with City regulations such as temporary barriers (i.e., fencing/plantings), ADA accessibility, and health codes. Additionally, the agreement contains regulations on signage for the business as well as curbside parking.
The City allows outdoor dining on private property. However, the Independence Square was developed with the buildings built to the property lines, thus the establishments on the Square do not have the ability to have outdoor dining without encroaching into the public spaces. Over the last year, several establishments on the Square offered outdoor dining per the agreement.
Staff met with the Executive Director of the Independence Square Association regarding the extension to the current license agreement. There was consensus to renew the license agreement until November 1, 2022. The Square Streetscape project is currently in the early design phase and it is anticipated the design could be substantially complete by this date.
The renewal agreement is substantially the same as the current agreement.