Updated
Spokane's sidewalk cafe, streatery and parklet application rules connect outdoor seating with the associated business's capacity and restroom provision. The license may also carry site-specific furniture and delivery-access conditions, so the approved operating arrangement should lead the purchase schedule.
Check the business capacity before filling the sidewalk
Spokane Municipal Code 12.15.040 asks applicants for the business's maximum occupancy and number of restroom fixtures, along with a dimensioned site plan and proposed periods of use. Section 12.15.050 explains that available restroom fixtures may limit outdoor patron occupancy. The size of the sidewalk area is consequently only one input to the chair quantity.
Give Development Services the existing occupancy information and proposed indoor-plus-outdoor operation before finalizing the furniture count. Use the reviewed capacity with a measured layout rather than selecting the maximum number of chairs that geometrically fits. Keep a separate quantity for spare chairs stored off the licensed area so replacement inventory is not mistaken for additional operating seats.
- Reconcile the proposed outdoor quantity with the business capacity reviewed for the license.
Prepare for license conditions protecting nearby deliveries
Section 12.15.050 allows conditions requiring the applicant to clear the sidewalk when necessary for deliveries to adjoining or nearby properties. It also addresses keeping neighboring access unobstructed and maintaining adjacent parking areas. These are potential conditions of the individual license, rather than a universal instruction to remove every Spokane cafe each day.
Review the actual license with the operator and identify any delivery-access commitments. Where temporary clearing is required, choose furniture that staff can relocate and identify an authorized holding area. Agree on a practical contact and restoration routine with the affected property rather than planning to leave stacked chairs in the shared path.
- Keep any required delivery-clearance procedure with the cafe's operating instructions.
Review the license when the operator or furniture plan changes
Spokane's terms make these licenses nontransferable and require a new application when the associated business's ownership or use changes. The application also records seasonal and daily operating periods. A furnished restaurant takeover therefore needs a license review alongside the assessment of the inherited tables.
Obtain the current approved drawing and compare it with the existing furniture. Record which pieces can be retained and which replacements change dimensions or placement. Give the new operator the full inventory, proposed schedule of use and any site conditions before expanding the patio. This creates a clear basis for the city review and avoids buying additional seats on the assumption that the previous operation's approval continues automatically.
- Check ownership, use and the reviewed furniture arrangement before ordering additions.