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Colfax council schedules workshop after wide public debate over downtown outdoor dining redesign
Summary
Council heard extended public comment and directed staff to schedule a publicly noticed workshop within 30 days to finalize design for a long‑term temporary outdoor dining area on North Main Street; staff was also asked to coordinate with business owners on cleanup and to explore fencing/material estimates.
Colfax City Council on Jan. 22 heard more than an hour of public comment on a proposed long-term outdoor dining area on North Main Street and directed staff to hold a publicly noticed workshop within 30 days to finalize the design.
Why it matters: The downtown seating area, originally installed during the COVID pandemic, has become a permanent community concern for businesses and residents. Council had previously allocated $25,000 in the 2024 budget and Railroad Days (a local nonprofit) secured an additional $10,000 grant (identified in the meeting as a UP grant) to rehabilitate the space. The draft plans under discussion would reconfigure the peninsula planter/parking footprint, add fencing, shade structures and accessible ramps, and set roles for maintenance and special‑use permits.
Council and staff summary: City staff explained the program history: two outdoor dining areas were installed during the pandemic and one (in front…
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