Council Adopts 2025 Downtown Sidewalk and Dining-Deck Design Guidelines; Debate Continues on Deck Limits

Petoskey City Council adopted a resolution approving updated 2025 design guidelines for downtown sidewalk furnishings and dining decks, following a presentation by downtown manager Amy Tweeden and discussion with the Downtown Management Board and the downtown design committee.

The guidelines add standards for dining-deck construction and furnishings: platforms must be composite or stained wood rather than untreated lumber, railings should be metal (aluminum, steel or cable), finishes should favor Petoskey's downtown green or black and exclude neon, fluorescent or iridescent colors, and dining decks must maintain a 48-inch minimum pedestrian clear zone. The draft also references crash-resistance standards and noted that Emmet County building permits and inspections apply to deck construction.

Council discussion focused on practical concerns: the downtown design committee previously recommended a cautious approach to limiting decks to protect the retail core and pedestrian flow, and some members asked whether a numerical cap should be imposed. Downtown management board members advised a more permissive stance if code requirements are met; the presented ordinance proposes an initial limit of five dining decks to allow the city to evaluate impacts before expanding.

Council voted 5-0 to adopt the design guidelines by resolution. The proposed ordinance to regulate dining decks and update the sidewalk-dining rules received a first reading; council did not take final action on the ordinance at this meeting and directed staff to return with details, including the option to set the number of decks by resolution to allow quicker future adjustments.

Public safety and building-code input was reported to have informed the draft language; council asked staff to provide additional specifics on how clearances, fixtures and crash-resistance requirements will be enforced in the permitting process.