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Council approves parklet and sidewalk seating permits amid downtown accessibility concerns and bench relocations
Summary
The Council approved multiple parklet and sidewalk seating applications — including a closely contested 600‑sq‑ft permit for LaRosa’s — while councilors and residents debated public‑space tradeoffs, lost Market Square benches and the need to separate parklet and sidewalk approval processes going forward.
The Newburyport City Council approved a slate of outdoor dining (parklet) and sidewalk‑seating applications on April 27, while acknowledging the growing tension between expanded outdoor dining and pedestrian access downtown.
What passed: Licenses & Permits brought forward multiple parklet applications that had been vetted in committee. After debate the council approved several applications collectively and then considered others individually. Notably, the application for LaRosa’s (Application 309) for 600 square feet of parklet space in Market Square drew sustained discussion about bench removal, pedestrian egress and precedent; the council approved that application by roll call (7–4). Other parklet approvals included smaller parklets and sidewalk seating for restaurants across downtown; in several cases the council required updated drawings or public‑meeting conditions for design phase approvals.
The debate: Councilors and residents raised three recurring concerns: (1) pedestrian access and ADA clearances on sidewalks where tables and chairs are placed; (2) the administrative history — sidewalk seating had in prior years been handled administratively while parklets required council action, but the application form had since merged both approvals — and (3) the loss and storage of Market Square benches, some of which had been removed for rehabilitation but have not been restored to the public realm. Several councilors said the current combined application process leads to inconsistent outcomes and asked the Clerk’s office and committees to develop separate permit processes for sidewalk seating versus in‑street parklets before next season.
Applicant offers and council response: At Licenses & Permits the LaRosa’s representative discussed potential footprint changes and said a reduced layout could be accommodated; councilors asked whether a smaller footprint (a compromise figure discussed was 420 sq ft) would be acceptable. Councilors ultimately voted to approve the 600 sq ft application in the interest of process consistency, while several members urged a broader policy review during the off season.
Next steps: Committee chairs and administration staff said they will prepare a post‑season review of the parklet/sidewalk seating rules, update application materials and clarify which aspects can be approved administratively versus by council vote. The ADA coordinator was referenced as a resource for on‑the‑ground compliance checks during the summer season.
Quote: "We need to fix this process going into next year — separate the sidewalk approvals from the parklet approvals and make sure accessibility is prioritized," a councilor said during the discussion.
The Council’s votes were recorded in the meeting minutes and several applicants were asked to supply updated, rescaled drawings for the record.
