Outdoor Business Activity

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Introduction & History of Program

On July 25, 2022, the City Council terminated the existing Temporary Outdoor Business Activity Program, Sidewalk Café Program and Sidewalk Café Pilot Program that allowed outdoor dining opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concurrently, the City Council established a permanent program that allowed outdoor business activities within the City’s rights of way (“Program”) under City Code Chapter 29. Outdoor Business Activity Program Guidelines are codified in Volume III of the Engineering Standards, Attachment V.

This Program provides a predictable process for permitting to allow businesses providing goods and services within the right-of-way through creation of a parklet and/or sidewalk café, including but not limited to retail, dining and personal services in compliance with the Guidelines. For a complete history, see Quick Links - Staff Reports and Resolutions.

Make a New Application

Please review the Outdoor Business Activity Program Guidelines and the Outdoor Business Activity Regulations prior to applying. The Outdoor Business Activity Program should be considered like any other permit process, and these documents are meaty, but informative.

Municipal Code Section 29.2 defines Outdoor Business Activity as the act of a business establishment providing good and services within the right-of-way through creation of a Parklet and/or Sidewalk Cafe, including but not limited to, retail, dining, and personal services. The application process is the same for both parklets and sidewalk cafes, regardless of activity, project scope, or size.

If you have questions about the design standards or the program, please contact the Outdoor Business team at outdoordining@redwoodcity.org.

When you have all documents ready (see Section 4 in the Outdoor Business Activity Regulations), please follow the instructions for a Building Permit submittal on the Permit Submittal page to submit everything. Additional helpful documents are accessible in the Quick Links – Reference and Submittal Documents.

Approval Process

Businesses may not build a platform or place furniture in the public right-of-way without an approved Building Permit, Encroachment Permit and License Agreement.

The permitting process is similar to other permit processes in the City of Redwood City. When you submit your plans and pay the application fee, a review will be completed by the City’s Planning Division, Building Division, Fire Department and Engineering Department. If there is something that does not align with the Guidelines or other regulations, you will receive a letter indicating what needs to be remedied.

When you have modified your plans to address the issue, you may resubmit and have them reevaluated. Revised plans must be resubmitted within a maximum of 90 days from when you received the comments or the application expires. If that timeframe is exceeded, the City may terminate the Building Permit and require the Applicant to re-start the process from the beginning.

You should fill out the Encroachment Permit Application and begin working with your insurance agent to get a Certificate of Insurance. You can send your insurance agent the Insurance Requirements document as a reference.

When your plans have been approved and your Encroachment Permit Application has been approved, you will receive your Encroachment Permit and sign a License Agreement with the City of Redwood City that allows you to maintain your furnishings on the right-of-way. A sample License Agreement is included in Quick Links – Reference and Submittal Documents.

Again, businesses may not build a platform or place furniture in the public right-of-way without an approved Building Permit, Encroachment Permit and License Agreement.

Outdoor

Inspection

When Businesses build out their Parklet or Sidewalk Cafe, they will need to call for an inspection, as for any other permit. Inspection will also take place at renewal. Please see the Inspection Guidelines document, which also includes contact information, in Quick Links, below.

Enforcement

The City can send a notice of violation at any time to businesses which do not have a valid license agreement. Penalties begin at $100 and end with removal of furniture and Improvements in the Licensed Area and return the Licensed Area to pre-License Agreement conditions – all at the business owner’s cost.

Renewals

60 days prior to the expiration of the License Agreement, Businesses should submit the Renewal Form to encroachment@redwoodcity.org. Businesses should be aware that if anything has changed in their Parklet or Sidewalk Cafe from the previous year, a new Building Permit will be required, and the application would be treated as new. If there are no changes to the furniture, footprint, or anything else, then Engineering will acknowledge receipt of the Renewal Form, send the Renewal Fee, and ask you to schedule an Inspection. When the Parklet or Sidewalk Cafe passes the Inspection, Engineering will prepare and process an extension of the Encroachment Permit and a new License Agreement.

Changes of Ownership / Transfer of Parklet

License Agreements may not be transferred to new ownership and any existing agreement will be void. Steps to submit a new application are provided above. Please note that the application will be evaluated against the current Guidelines and will be subject to the full amount of fees.

Quick Links

Reference and Submittal Documents

Staff Reports and Resolutions

Questions?

General questions about the program: outdoordining@redwoodcity.org

Questions about the encroachment permit, insurance requirements or license agreement: encroachment@redwoodcity.org

Questions about design standards or outdoor business activities located on private property: planning@redwoodcity.org