Planning board weighs outdoor‑seating rules: prioritize sidewalk safety, consider syncing curfew with noise code
The board reviewed Ordinance 1708 on outdoor seating, focusing on a five‑foot unobstructed pedestrian path requirement, securement or removal of furnishings, a 500‑foot residential buffer and whether the draft's 9 p.m. cutoff should be aligned with the city noise ordinance; staff will return with refined language prioritizing public right‑of‑way safety.
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Staff presented changes to Ordinance 1708 that add references to turtle‑friendly lighting and require payment of applicable connection fees. A central sticking point was the draft's five‑foot minimum for unobstructed pedestrian access 'through or adjacent to the seating area and to the restaurant entrance'—board members and the public said some sidewalk seating configurations reduce the actual clear path once chairs are occupied.
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