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Council expands uptown outdoor dining to DOT‑managed Dickinson Avenue, with increased clearance requirements
Summary
Council voted 6-0 to align city downtown outdoor dining rules with NCDOT standards for a DOT‑maintained portion of Dickinson Avenue, requiring a minimum 5-foot unobstructed pedestrian path and other setback and clearance rules.
Greenville City Council on Thursday approved an amendment to allow outdoor dining along the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)–maintained portion of Dickinson Avenue and to align city standards with DOT sidewalk-dining rules.
Chief planner Shante Goobie told council the change responds to a section of Dickinson that the city does not maintain and therefore had not previously allowed for sidewalk dining. “The DOT standards, however, require a minimum clearance of 5 feet,” Goobie said, noting the current city standard is 4 feet of unobstructed sidewalk.
Council members asked whether the DOT rules would apply citywide; staff said the change applies specifically to the DOT-maintained stretch of Dickinson Avenue and that most existing city standards elsewhere would remain in effect. Goobie outlined other DOT requirements including a 6-foot clearance between tables/furnishings and the street and a prohibition on outdoor dining along roads with speed limits over 45 mph; the Dickinson segment in question is posted at 20 mph.
If approved, restaurants along the affected stretch will submit a scaled site drawing for staff and interdepartmental review (police, fire rescue, engineering and planning). After staff reviews, planning will issue the outdoor-dining permit. Council approved the ordinance amendment 6-0.
Council members said the change may open more downtown dining opportunities but noted sidewalk widths and utility fixtures remain limiting factors on some blocks.
Staff said the change formalizes a process already used in other DOT agreements and urged businesses interested in outdoor seating to contact planning staff to determine whether their sidewalk will meet the new requirements.
