Colfax council schedules workshop after wide public debate over downtown outdoor dining redesign

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 of the business then called Grandma C’s, now occupied by Snapdragon Provisions and Bloomin' Mountain Flowers) remains. The council packet referenced the $25,000 2024 allocation and a $10,000 grant from UP. Staff said a handicap ramp had already been ordered and was on site.

Public comment and business concerns: Business owners and residents voiced both support for a more attractive, longer-term design and strong concerns about parking loss, maintenance responsibilities, alcohol licensing and business equity. Chris McNabb of Bloomin' Mountain Flowers thanked council for momentum but asked that the final design be slid a bit to avoid encroaching on the front of his store. Tammy Hampshire (owner of 38 North Main Street) asked for better balance in space allocation; she requested clearer, finished drawings.

The bakery and café (Wrecking Crew Bakery and Cafe) and other business owners said they supported outdoor seating as a way to draw customers but raised operational issues. The cafe owner asked that any expanded public space not jeopardize the ABC (alcohol) licensing of nearby businesses—one business owner required line-of-sight control when alcohol is served. The Wellness Cafe (representative Taylor Moore) asked for an area that can be used for “sober nights” without alcohol present.

Design alternatives discussed: Staff and a community volunteer (Trinity and others) presented rough sketches that would mirror seating on both sides of the planter peninsula and preserve loading zones next to each business while locating handicap access where the peninsula extends into the street. Trinity’s sketch proposed a mirrored layout: each side would include one loading space, one spot blocked by a planter, and a smaller adjacent parking area that would be folded into a fenced seating space. Participants suggested an alternative: one large, contiguous community seating plaza with an internal fence and gated boundary separating alcohol-permitted areas from alcohol‑free zones (a solution proposed to address ABC requirements).

Council action and next steps: Council did not adopt final plans. Instead it directed staff to: schedule a publicly noticed workshop (requested within 30 days) to review refined designs with business owners; continue working with downtown business owners and the grant donor (Railroad Days) on a more detailed plan; provide cost estimates for options (including replacing planters, adding fencing and extending sidewalks); and examine near-term cleanup/maintenance options for the existing, deteriorated fencing and materials so the block is presentable before seasonal events.

Ending: The council closed the item with direction to staff to return a refined plan after the workshop; staff will also gather formal input from all affected business owners and post notices for the public workshop.