River Street Tavern seeks three parking spaces for seasonal outdoor dining; trustees open to temporary, staff to work with owner

River Street Tavern told the Village of East Dundee trustees it is seeking permission to use three on-street parking spaces for seasonal outdoor dining as the business recovers from construction impacts.

Owner Lauren Retner told trustees the restaurant lost outdoor furniture and protective planters during recent construction and wants three spaces to provide community outdoor seating until she can complete a planned rooftop dining project. Retner said she and the business would look for modular decking, barriers and lighting similar to prior temporary installations.

Trustees discussed safety measures such as removable bollards, curbing or raised modular decking and suggested the design should be removable so it can be taken down outside the season. Trustee comments noted the village now has a nearby parking garage, which reduces the parking-supply argument for permanent spot transfers. Several trustees said they would support a temporary seasonal arrangement this year and asked staff to work with the owner to establish safety standards, materials and a removal plan.

No formal motion or ordinance was taken at the May 19 meeting; trustees characterized the item as a discussion and agreed to let staff refine terms and return to the board if necessary. Trustees said the arrangement could be revisited next year and that the village’s long-term goal remains a rooftop dining space for year-round use.

Retner said she hopes to recoup some of the business lost during construction and confirmed any outdoor furniture would be modular and removable. Trustees emphasized that if a private business requests permanent use of on-street parking, the village would treat that as a separate policy question and address future similar requests through a consistent process.