St. Cloud’s Outdoor Dining Scene Faces New Permit Requirements

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A change is coming for outdoor dining in downtown St. Cloud this summer.

In a letter sent to downtown bar and restaurant owners, city leaders say the placement of barriers at no cost to the businesses will be discontinued this summer.  Instead, businesses will need to apply to use the street as an outdoor patio through a new Community Event Permit application process.  Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  The city says they'll work with the applicants when determining the allowed spaces with a focus on retaining parking for nearby businesses, along with a review of traffic movement and volume.

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The change in practice is intended to balance the demand for on-street parking and the safety and maintenance challenges presented by the barriers in the street.

City leaders say they encourage the continued use of downtown's public sidewalks.  City code allows the use of the sidewalk for business seating without a permit.

The city had been installing barriers to allow some businesses to set up a patio area in the street for about the past six years.