Sidewalk Cafes Move Forward

Traverse City commissioners voted unanimously last night to move forward on a proposal to allow sidewalk cafes in downtown Traverse City - with some key caveats. The ordinance, which is scheduled for a final enactment vote on August 4, requires restaurant owners who want to use city sidewalks for outdoor dining space to maintain a minimum five-foot-wide sidewalk clearance, remove outdoor furniture when not in operation and take responsibility for on-site trash removal. In addition, restaurants who are cited for two or more ordinance violations in a given season will lose their cafe license for the following year.

If approved on August 4, the revised sidewalk cafe ordinance will go into effect April 1, 2015.