Framingham, MA Special Events & Permits: Parklets (2026)

Framingham City Code § 435-12B grew out of the temporary parklet-style seating restaurants set up during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and made it a permanent zoning accessory use. A restaurant seeking to keep outdoor tables on a sidewalk, parking lot, on-street parking space, or landscaped yard must apply to amend its existing building permit through the Inspectional Services Division; the Building Commissioner reviews the application in lieu of the Special Permit Granting Authority and can refer it to the Board of License Commissioners for final approval.

The outdoor area has to be set off with a perimeter treatment such as a demountable wrought-iron fence, bollards and chains, or planters, and any tent or canopy used must carry an approved fire rating and meet Fire Department standards for egress and extinguisher access. Where the seating sits in a parking lot, § 435-12B(9)(f) caps it at no more than 50% of the required parking spaces so the site still functions for vehicles. Applicants must also carry workers' compensation coverage and comprehensive general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate, naming the City as an additional insured, and the Board of License Commissioners must receive updated certificates whenever the policy is renewed.

The Building Commissioner is required to act on a complete application within 10 days, and any applicant unhappy with that determination can appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals under MGL c. 40A, §§ 8 and 15. If the Building Commissioner later finds the license holder out of compliance, § 435-12B(12) allows the license to be revoked, with notice going to the Board of License Commissioners.